


Blaze of Ember

by Empress_Imperia



Category: Kung Fu Panda (Movies)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2020-05-16 17:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 34
Words: 88,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19322953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Empress_Imperia/pseuds/Empress_Imperia
Summary: After the events of Abode of Snow, Po and his friends thought that the worst was behind them. That was before a powerful enemy destroyed the Jade Palace and took Tigress prisoner. While his remaining friends combat the new threat, Po travels across China to get her back, all the while being stalked by the entity that is Ember. Who is Ember, and why is she so obsessed with him?





	1. Prologue

The downside to luck is that eventually it is going to run out.

Po Ping was feeling very lucky one late afternoon in the kitchen as he stepped into the kitchen and found his potential future girlfriend Tigress dozing quietly at the table before a pot of dark liquid and a cloth. It was early autumn. The air was cool and brown and gold leaves had gathered on the high windowsill. It would be Po's turn to clean it up later, but it would only take a few minutes, and he was in too much of a good mood to let mere chores annoy him. Right now he had to prepare for what he considered to be one of the most important nights of his life.

When he entered the kitchen, bag of cookies in his fist, and saw Tigress sleeping, he couldn't help but watch her with a smile. She looked so much different sleeping than she did wide-awake and kicking butt. She looked peaceful, more like the lovely woman she was. It was nice. He set the cookies down on the bench, not wanting to risk disturbing her with his eating.

The bag rustled when it touched the bench, and Tigress stirred. She opened her eyes and yawned softly as she lifted her head and saw Po. "Sorry." Po retrieved the cookies and sat down beside her, careful not to make any loud noises as Tigress continued to rouse herself. She sat up straight and rubbed her eyes.

"Tough day at training, huh?" Po asked her. With Master Shifu too busy with other matters to train his students, Po had spent the day down in the village below the Jade Palace to spend some much needed time with his dad, Mr. Ping. While the other members of the Furious Five, Monkey, Crane, Viper and Mantis had gone off for some leisure time, Tigress had stayed behind to train as usual. In Mr. Ping's noodle shop, Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu, Po had divided his time between cooking, serving, and listening to Haoxin de Nushi's endless stories of life in the Imperial Palace. As both surrogate and foster aunt of Emperor Xian, Haoxin's presence required two guards at her side at all times, though that had not stopped Mr. Ping from giving his girlfriend a peck on the check almost every time he passed her. By now Po had grown quite content with his father having the emperor's foster aunt as his girlfriend. Shifu, on the other hand, still growled under his breath whenever Haoxin got his name wrong.

To answer Po's question, Tigress merely huffed. Po offered her a cookie and she accepted. "Thank you." She took a bite and swallowed. "How was your day?"

"Princess Haoxin was in the shop all day." Po said. "I think their relationship is really getting serious."

"You're not worried?"

"Nah. Haoxin's a really nice lady. She keeps asking about you."

Tigress finished her cookie. "She does?"

"Yeah. She's been worried about you ever since she found out about what happened to you in the Himalayas."

Clearly touched, Tigress opened her fist to reveal The Heart of China, a massive emerald on a necklace Haoxin had given to her on one of her visits. It looked like it had been cleaned very recently. Po looked at the pot and cloth.

"You know, that would look really great with your green vest." Po said.

"I was thinking of wearing it for tonight." Tigress replied.

Po put his elbow on the table and rested the side of his head on his paw. "That would be extremely awesome." He said.

Master Shifu, the red panda who was in charge of the Jade Palace, entered the kitchen at that moment with a sour expression.

"Good afternoon, Master." Tigress and Po said.

"Is everything okay?" Po asked.

"Po, I have received a message." Shifu said solemnly.

Po's eyes widened. "From... the universe?"

"From the messenger." Shifu pulled out a scroll.

"Oh." Po said in a small voice. Tigress shook her head, smiling. "What does it say?"

"I have some bad news." Shifu said. "Almost a week ago, there was a jailbreak in the prison where the imperial authorities were holding Colonel Sao. No-one was killed, thank goodness, but Sao is missing."

Po and Tigress stood up from their chairs, shocked.

"Do they know who did it?" Po asked.

Shifu shook his head.

"Did they manage to get any information out of him before his escape?" Tigress asked.

"All they found out was that he was acting on the orders of an organization know as the Order." Shifu said. "He doesn't appear to know the name of the leader or any other higher ranking members. He claims that information died with General Tujiu upon his demise in the Himalayas."

Po shivered. He had not witnessed the event himself, but Viper and Crane had. Two weeks ago, Viper had admitted that she still had nightmares about it.

"Does Emperor Xian want us to track him down?" Tigress asked.

"No, he has assured me that his army will handle it. In the meantime we are to keep an eye out for Ember."

The kitchen was silent at the mention of her name. That woman, that creature, that terrifyingly powerful, psychotic entity who could paralyze a dozen men without even touching them.

Shifu cleared his throat. "Anyway, if you see Colonel Sao when you're out and about, apprehend him if you can. But be cautious. He may not be alone."

"Yes, Master."

"I may not see you again tonight, so goodnight, students." Shifu said. With that, he was gone. Po and Tigress sat down again.

"So Sao got away." Po muttered. "Man, that sucks."

"I know it does." Tigress said. "Don't worry, Po. We'll have him back behind bars, one day. Never mind that now. Do you think we should tell Shifu what we're doing tonight?"

"And have him make rugs out of our hides?" Po was aghast. "Let's just wait 'til we see how tonight goes. We can tell him after that." He twiddled his thumbs. "And pray that he doesn't scold us to death." Tigress laughed. Po laughed with her, but the laughter faded when Tigress pulled out a small box. "What's that?"

"Just a gift. For the two of us." Tigress said gently. Po took the box and pulled off the lid. Inside were two fortune cookies.

"They're from your dad." Tigress said. "He knows a woman in the village who tells fortunes, and he had her write them down. I guess in his own way he wanted to make sure tonight goes great."

Po grinned and stifled a yawn. That was just like his father. He pulled out a cookie and waited before Tigress had taken the other before breaking it open, revealing the slip of paper. He read out the fortune as Tigress broke apart her own cookie.

"A woman from your past will shape your future." He read. He pursed his lips. That was a bit vague for his liking. "What does yours say, Tigress?"

"Your fate will be sealed with a kiss." Tigress read.

"That sounds a lot more romantic." Po replied. "Wanna trade?"

"No thanks." Tigress said, chuckling. Po chucked the two pieces of cookie into his mouth as Tigress nibbled on hers. He yawned again. "You seem tired."

"Yeah." Po rubbed his eyes. "I guess running up and down the noodle shop had something to do with it."

Tigress stood up. "Why don't you get some sleep?" She said. "It's still a few hours until our date." Po grinned gratefully. He set the box and his fortune paper on the table and got up. "Wait." Tigress took Po's paw and carefully dropped the Heart of China into it. "I need to go down to the village. Could you look after this for the time being?"

"Sure. You can trust me." Po tucked the beautiful emerald into his pocket. "Now  _you_  wait."

Tigress barely had time to blink in confusion before Po leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. Both faces turned bright red.

"Sorry." He said, wringing his paws. Tigress touched her face, stunned.

"For what?" She said eventually. "Go get some sleep."

Feeling giddy, Po left the kitchen and went to his room. There was a huge grin plastered on his face as he lay down on his bed. He loved Tigress. Better yet, Tigress loved him. This really was going to be a night to remember.

It took a few minutes for him to fall asleep, but when he did the dream came not long after.

The glowing blue moon was high in the dark sky as the little panda wandered through the forest.

Snow covered everything. It fell from the sky and melted on his fur. His crimson red scarf fluttered, though there was no wind. The little panda shook with cold and fear. He was lost. He had run away, took a wrong turn, and now nothing was familiar.

The snowflake that floated right in front of his face as he walked was different from the others. It glowed orange and radiated with heat. More like it fell from the sky, and before the little panda knew it the air was filled with what he now realized were little embers.

He crossed over a narrow frozen river and approached a big, bare bush. Through the tangled branches he saw a shape. A slender black shape standing over a much bigger shape writhing on the cold ground. The little panda was afraid, but he kept walking. He reached the bush and walked round it.

_Why did you tell the Yeti to spare my life?_

_I don't know. All I know is... I feel like I know you._

There was a sudden, tiny sound and Po woke up with a start.

He sat up, blinking. It was dark in the room. Night had fallen. Po's heart sank as it occurred to him that he might be late.

"Crap, crap, crap..." Po patted his pocket. The Heart of China was still there. He leapt out of bed and rushed to the door. If he knew Tigress, she would be right on the other side, arms folded, eyes blazing.

Po opened the door, cringing. The corridor was dark and empty. "Oh." He didn't know whether or not to be relieved. "Tigress?"

No-one answered. Po wondered why none of the lights were on. He crossed to Tigress's room. He opened the door. Everything was tidy, but there was no sign of her.

Sighing, Po went to the kitchen where they would be having their date. There was nobody in the kitchen, either. It was unusually cold in the kitchen and Po rubbed his arms. Maybe he should wait for a minute or two. He sat down at the table. He rested his paws on the flat wooden surface and twiddled his thumbs. He tried whistling, but it was such a lonely sound that he stopped. Barely thirty seconds had passed before the silence became too much to bear. "Tigress?" He called, wondering if she was playing a prank. "Shifu? Burglar?" Po thought of the trip he and Shifu had made to the Imperial City a few weeks back, and the promise Emperor Xian had made to send some imperial troops over to help protect the valley in light of recent events. They should be arriving tomorrow morning.

The panda's nose caught the faint scent of burning. He glanced at the stove, but it was just as cold as the rest of the room. "Tigress?" He tried again. He sniffed some more. It was indeed very faint. So faint Po doubted it was coming from inside this building. All the same, Po went to check all the rooms. Each one he checked was devoid of fire.

_Where is everyone?_  He asked himself. This wasn't right. As he checked the last room, Mantis's, he gradually became aware of a sound in the distance. He couldn't make it out. Maybe if he went outside...

Po left Mantis's room and strolled down the corridor. He gave a shiver. The air was chilly. He rubbed his arms again as he approached the open doors leading outside.

A panting Tigress rushed inside, slammed the doors behind her and sealed them with a beam.

Po exhaled with relief. "There you are." He said. "Look, I'm sorry I slept in, I-"

"Po?" Tigress blinked upon seeing him.

"Tigress?" Po replied. "Are you okay?" He noticed a tear on Tigress's vest at the shoulder.

"I'm fine, just stay away from the doors!" Tigress rushed to the storeroom where they kept a stash of weapons in case of an emergency.

"Tigress..." Po's smile faded.

"Don't open the doors, okay!" Tigress pulled out two long staffs and tossed one to the panda.

"Tigress, what's going on?" Po demanded after he barely managed to catch the staff before it hit him in the face. "What's happening?"

"It's the soldiers." Tigress growled. "They arrived just minutes ago, but..."

"What?" Po asked, starting to feel afraid. "Tigress, what's going-"

_Bam!_ Po jumped as something slammed into the other side of the sealed doors. He backed away. "What was that?!" He barely had time to ask before the beam broke apart and the doors flew open. Two rhinos burst into the room, wielding huge axes. There was something wrong with their eyes, but before Po could figure it out they attacked. One reflexive swing of his staff took them down.

"Good one, Po." Tigress said.

Po turned to her. "Tigress, why are we being attacked by imperial soldiers? What did we do?"

"I don't know. Po, there's too many of them out there. We've got to get out of here and figure out a plan."

Po nodded, more frightened than ever. If Tigress of all people was choosing retreating over fighting, something really, really bad was going on.

Po looked down at one of the dazed rhinos. He saw what was wrong with their eyes, now. They were glowing red. He had seen something like this before, but where?

Then Tigress was pulling at his arm, dragging him outside into the cold night air. Po noticed a bright orange glow out the corner of his eye and looked towards the Jade Palace in the distance. His stomach leapt up into his chest when he saw the fire consuming the magnificent building.  _Aw man, Ke-Pa blew up that building only a couple of years ago!_

"Where're the others?" He asked in a tiny voice.

"Fighting. I don't know where they are." Tigress said. "Shifu ordered me to get you out of here."

"Why?"

"Because we think they're here for you."

_I woke up in the middle of the night for_ this _?! Oh man, is dad okay?_  Po looked down at the village. He saw no fire down there, though he could see villagers fleeing in the opposite direction of the palace. He stared at Tigress.

"For some reason they're ignoring the village." Tigress said. "Like I said, they're here for you."

So his dad was okay. Po took a deep breath of relief. "So now what? Do we go join the others?"

" _I'm_  joining the others. But first I've got to get you out of here." When Po tried to protest she cut him off. "I know you want to fight, but we can't let them take you. I don't know what they want with you, but it sure as hell isn't to challenge your title!"

Po gulped. He really wanted to fight, but Tigress was right. Besides, Tigress would pummel him into submission if he tried to disobey. He'd learned that the hard way in Gongmen Jail.

His memory of that one sided brawl was interrupted by the battle cries of six red eyed soldiers running up the stone steps towards them. Po wondered whether or not they were possessed as he and Tigress took them down.

Once things were quiet again, Po's small ears caught the faint sound of battle coming from the direction of the burning palace.

"There'll be more." Tigress said. "Po, we have to go."

With a heavy heart Po turned away from the palace and followed Tigress down the narrow trail that led down into the forest. After all the training keeping up with Tigress was far easier than it was two years ago. Still, it was hard to make her out in the darkness. All he had to go on was the orange of her fur, which clashed with the dark blues, green and browns of the trees. The forest floor sloped steeply, and Po did his best to avoid any tripping hazards that would result in an embarrassing tumble down the mountain. "Do you think this has something to do with Sao escaping?"

"I hope not." Tigress said. "I really do."

Through the gradually thinning trees Po spotted the rooftops of the village. He was about to ask Tigress if they were going there, when she abruptly changed direction heading deeper into the forest. The forest floor was now flat.

"Where're we going?" Po asked, two seconds before they reached their destination: an old building in a small clearing. He knew this place. Soon after he moved out of the noodle shop to live in the Jade Palace, three dimwitted pigs had kidnapped his father and brought him here. "Oh. That's where we're going."

Tigress gestured for Po to wait by the trees, and crept up to the building. She pressed her ear against the front door. Once she deemed the building empty, she opened the door and gestured for Po to head inside. Po did so at once, and Tigress followed immediately after. She shut the door and locked it.

They were in a sparse room that looked like it took up most of the lower floor of the house. There was only a table and three chairs. It must have been cleared out after the owners had left

Po sat down at one of the chairs. It creaked under his weight. This time, it wasn't his fault. The chairs were designed for smaller animals such as rabbits.

It was just as quiet here as it was in the barracks.

"I'm going back to aid the others." Tigress said. "Please don't leave this building until we come back for you."

Po didn't bother protesting this time. He didn't have a choice, and he knew it. However, he took Tigress's paw. "Can't you stay with me? I don't want anything to happen to you."

Tigress shook her head. "I'm sorry, but they're outnumbered. I can't just stay here and do nothing."

Po slumped in disappointment. "Worst test date ever."

Tigress smiled at that, but her smile vanished moments later at the sound of crunching. Po felt a shiver of fear at the sound. Whatever it was, it was come from above them. They looked up.

_Holy flippin' crap._

A translucent purple substance was spreading across the ceiling and wooden beams like a mold. Bigger and bigger it grew, until it covered the entire ceiling and started making its way down the walls.

"They followed us here." Tigress whispered,  _oh crap_  written all over her face. She rushed to the door, but stopped dead when she saw the door completely consumed in the purple stuff. It took was moment for Po to realized that was he was looking was not some weird goo, but amethyst. This was beyond crazy.

Tigress spun round to Po. "We have to get out of here! Upstairs, qui-" She froze stiff. A second later, Po saw why. That same weird amethyst crystal had formed a rock hard pillar from the wall to Tigress in the blink of an eye, catching her by the upper arm. Before Po's eyes the amethyst continued to spread, encasing Tigress's torso in a thick purple ring and pinning her arms together. Po had been so transfixed by the surreal sight that he hadn't moved. When Tigress yelled and started struggling helplessly, Po came to his senses and rushed over to her.

"Stay still!" Po yelled, even though she was already fixed in place by the crystal. He threw a punch at the pillar attaching her to the wall. The only thing that cracked was a bone in his paw. Po yelled and danced on the spot for a moment before he noticed that a second pillar had attached and was currently pinning Tigress's legs together. "Get off her!"

Just as Po was about to throw another punch, the amethyst-encased door shattered.

Spinning round, Po saw about half a dozen red eyed goons in imperial armor. They strode into the room, all eyes on the panda and the imprisoned feline.

"Who are you?" Po demanded. "Why are you doing this?!"

Four of the soldiers went for Po, while the other two approached Tigress.

"Get away from her!"

He pummeled the four soldiers effortlessly, while the other two held spears to Tigress's throat, keeping her from trying anything that didn't require the use of her limbs. Po tried to run over and help her, but then three more soldiers grabbed him and threw a chain around his torso. It took him three seconds to take them down. He was the gosh darn Dragon Warrior. It was going to take a lot more than a stupid chain to stop him.

"Tigress, hang on!"

Four more soldiers stepped in to take him on, and with them came a woman. A beautiful black panther with cruel purple eyes and a dress in a slightly darker shade of purple. She glanced once at the struggling Po and strode casually over to Tigress. The two soldiers stepped away and went to join the others currently trying to subdue Po. The panther waved her fingers and the two pillars disintegrated. Two more soldiers arrived and picked Tigress up.

The panther spoke in a throaty voice. "Get her out of here. We can use her as leverage." She glanced again at Po as she said this, and grinned.

"Tigress!" Now desperate, Po kept fighting, but for every two soldiers he took down, four more seemed to take their place. If the Five were here with him, he could do this, but on his own he was growing exhausted. He yelled again, "Tigress!" He knocked a crocodile out cold and kicked a wolf between the legs. "TIGRESS!"

Even as he screamed her name, Tigress was carried out the door.

The panther made her way over to the brawl going on at the other side of the room. "Hold him still, boys." She said. She held her paw out towards Po. Another pillar shot out and caught Po by the neck. A ring formed and started to squeeze.

Po struggled furiously, but a dozen soldiers were holding him tight.  _They're killing me_ , he thought as he started to pass out.  _I messed up... Tigress..._

He heard the panther's voice. "Finally. It's about time we had an edge on that fiery little freak. I'm going to make her wish she stayed dead."

And then there was nothing.


	2. Rain of Burning Petals

_Legend tells of a legendary warrior, whose kung fu skills were the stuff of legend! He travelled the land, in search of worthy foes..._

_A light breeze carried a trail of peach blossom petals over the legendary warrior's head as he stepped off the little boat and onto the rickety wooden dock that stretched down the river. Staff in hand, he looked up at his destination: a sinister looking building on a tiny island in the middle of the river, an inn crawling with bandits and other distasteful characters. A perfect place to clean up, practice his upper cuts, and nab some nice fat dumplings._

_The legendary warrior pulled his rice hat down so it concealed his eyes, and made his way down the dock. Concealing his identity would make the other customers suspicious of him, maybe even provoke them. That was exactly what he wanted._

_He reached the door. With one kick he opened it with a bang, startling the hundreds of vicious looking wolves, crocodiles, mountain cats and oxen that filled the darkened room to the brim. Without a word the legendary warrior strode inside, not even glancing at the thugs on either side. He was well aware, however, of the many eyes that followed him to the one empty table that stood in the far corner, bathed in orange light. Peach blossoms floated in the wind outside the window._

_A quaking rabbit rushed over and put a small bowl of dumplings on the table then scuttled off. The legendary warrior nodded his thanks and sat down. The moment his rear touched the little stool, there was a rush of wind. In a flash, two dozen bandits were leaning over the other side of the table, glaring at him with pure malice. The legendary warrior disregarded them and picked up his chopsticks. He put the first dumpling in his mouth and started chewing._

_Agitated at being ignored, the big ox at the front of the group spoke, "I see you like to chew. Maybe you should chew... ON MY FIST!" He slammed a fist down on the table, rattling the dumplings in the bowl._

_The warrior said nothing for his mouth was full. He held up a paw, signaling for the ox to wait a moment. He put the paw down. Then he swallowed. Then the words he was about to speak died in his throat._

_"_ _Would you like to chew on my fist?" The ox demanded. "Answer me!"_

_The legendary warrior was no longer paying attention. Behind the ox, the crowd was parting to make way for the black clothed figure striding slowly towards the table. The legendary warrior stared. He knew this person._

_"_ _Oi! Are you deaf?" The ox yelled, but his voice was becoming faint to the warrior's ears._

_The black clothed figure reached the table and stepped onto the surface. The ox kept shouting words that could no longer be heard. Crouched low so she and the legendary warrior were nearly at equal eye level, the woman stared at him through the eyeholes of her crimson and black dragon helmet._

_"_ _Wake... up... Po..." She whispered. The eyeholes and mouth, once empty black pits, began emanating a burning red fire. "WAKE UP!"_

_The fire grew and consumed everything._

* * *

After the light, there was darkness.

Po's eyes were shut, and he didn't yet have the strength to open them. His ears were working just fine, however, and he could hear the clinking of chains. Then he felt someone slapping cuffs on his left wrist. Then he heard the door open.

"We're nearly finished preparing him for relocation, Mei Ling. This had better be important."

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, General. It's about Ember."

"What happened?"

"We're under attack. Ember has taken control of the remaining mortals."

"My  _god_..."

"Lady Nuwang is putting the prisoner's relocation on hold until we've dealt with the situation. She wants to see you, Izumi and Sao at the main headquarters in two days."

"Alright, alright... tell Izumi to meet me in the hall right away."

Po once more fell into oblivion.

* * *

Po finally woke up thirty six hours later.

He was in an unusually clean dungeon. Two torches on the walls lit the room. Right across from where the panda was sitting was a typical prison door, heavy and bearing a small barred window. Po looked up at the chain binding his wrist to the wall just above his head. The chain meant for his other wrist dangled limply beside him. Instead of the patched up brown pants he always wore, he was now dressed in a black outfit that was eerily similar to Ember's. Po had a nasty thought and shook his head. He didn't feel anything against his head. Good. At least he wasn't wearing a creepy helmet at well. The chains were long enough that Po could stand. Other than a rumbling in his stomach, he felt okay. He didn't feel like his captors had done anything to him other than keeping him chained up in this cell. Then again, he'd been mostly out of it since he and Tigress were...

_Tigress! The Jade Palace!_

Po felt sick to his stomach as he remembered. The Jade Palace had been attacked and destroyed. Even worse, the attack had been perpetrated by the same imperial soldiers Emperor Xian had sent for reasons Shifu hadn't had a chance to explain to his students. Po remembered their red eyes. They had clearly been mind controlled. But who could have mind controlled so many people, and why did they do it?

Po tugged at his chain. He had to get out of here. He had to find Tigress, and make sure that the others were okay. How long had it been since the attack? And why hadn't his captors chained his other wrist before leaving him alone.

Po pulled and pulled, until with a loud crunch the other end of the chain came away from the wall, taking a fist-sized chunk of the stone with it. Po grinned in triumph for a split second before the chunk smacked off his forehead.

"YOW!"

_Every darn time!_

Po rubbed his head irritably before realizing that someone must have heard him. He spun towards the door in a combat stance, ready to take down the guards when they came running.

Seconds passed. The silence was deafening. No-one came.

Finding this very odd, Po picked up the chain and rock. It looked a lot like the meteor hammer he had trained with recently. Po wrapped most of the chain around his arm and held the end just beneath the stone chunk. It would probably make a good weapon.

With that, the panda turned his attention back to the door. One kick ought to get it open. At least until it creaked open on its own.

Po jumped back into his stance, but no guards rushed into the room. Taking a risk, he crept to the open door and peeked out. He saw a darkly lit corridor lined with prison doors just like his own.

Po had a funny feeling that he was being watched, yet he saw nobody. The corridor showed no signs of life. "Where is everyone?" Po wondered out loud. Maybe this was part of the reason no-one had bothered to cuff his other arm. Maybe they had never had the chance.

With this disturbing thought, Po stepped into the deserted corridor. It was like something out of a horror story, but Po steeled his nerve and kept walking. Tigress or the others might be in the other cells. Unfortunately each one he peeked in was empty. What he did find was a set of keys hanging from a hook on the corridor wall. He tested five keys before finding one that unlocked his cuff. At least he was no longer chained to his makeshift weapon, but the fact that his friends weren't here was a bit of a let down.

Disappointed, Po turned his attention to the stone steps at the end of the corridor. He travelled up them to the next floor.

What he found made his bedroom in the Jade Palace look like an immaculate paradise.

A labyrinth of corridors full of discarded, broken weapons: beheaded maces, cracked axes and shattered swords. Broken down doors, damaged walls, overturned tables, rubble strewn about, fallen torches causing knocked down chairs to catch fire. Worst of all was the red stains.

But there were no bodies.

Something really bad had happened here. It must have something to do with what this Mei Ling person, hopefully not one of the two Mei Lings he knew, had said about being under attack. And that meant that Ember was responsible. Not good.

Po was glad that he'd kept the chain, but he should probably find another weapon. Three of the dozens of decimated rooms were armories. He checked all three, found nothing but broken wood and metal, and ultimately found what he needed in a kitchen of all places.

A fully intact, recently cleaned frying pan.

For now, it would have to do.

Po slid the frying [an carefully into his belt and filled his empty stomach with a bowl of dumplings that had been left untouched on the scratched table.

The moment he swallowed the last dumpling, he heard the door creak open behind him.

Po whirled around. He blinked at the person standing in the doorway. At first he thought it was Ember, but this person wasn't wearing a helmet, but a traditional silver theatre mask. They were dressed all in black, their skin or fur completely covered so their species was unidentifiable. Po could tell from the build, however, that they were male.

The masked man stared at Po, as if startled to see him there. Not taking any chances, Po pulled out the frying pan and went into his stance.

_Crash!_

Po jumped as he heard the sound of a wall breaking down coming from outside in the corridor. The masked man turned his head sharply to the source of the noise, which Po couldn't see, cursed under his breath and ran out of sight. Seconds later a large black blur passed the doorway in pursuit.

Po waited for three full minutes before moving. Who was that guy, and what the heck was that thing? It had moved so fast that he hadn't seen anything that could describe it.

Never mind that, he decided. He still had much more to explore. Tigress and the others may still be around here somewhere, if they were still alive. Po scolded himself for thinking that last bit.

They were alive. They had to be.

Gripping his frying pan, Po stepped back out into the corridor. He saw no sign of the masked man or the black creature. Thank heck for that. A frying pan wouldn't be of much help against that thing.

It was a while before he found the courage to continue onward.

After spending an hour or two fruitlessly searching for his brown pants, Po found a small square room that was different from the others. It was split down the middle by a set of thick bars and a sturdy metal door. On Po's side there was a table, a chair, and a stack of papers. Just like everywhere else, the room was lit with flaming torches. This must be the prison exit. Po reached for the door, hoping that it was unlocked.

The torches flickered and went out.

Po was blinded, his outstretched arm frozen in place.  _Now what?_

Two seconds later, he got his answer. He felt a presence by his left side. He turned to face it.

The eyeholes of Ember's dragon helmet glowed red in the darkness as she stared at him in silent observation. She was close enough to touch.

Close enough to reach out and snap his neck like a twig.

Po wanted to ask her if she was responsible for the attack, but he was too terrified to speak. He was staring at someone who had set a crazy yeti on him and his friends, could paralyze dozens of people without touching them, and had burned General Tujiu into ash.

Who was now very capable of doing the exact same thing to Po.

The Dragon Empress inched towards him. Po was rooted to the spot. Running would be pointless.

_Who are you?_  She whispered.

Po felt something poking through his eyes like needles. Was she trying to mess with his mind again?

"No." He said. He found the strength to step away from her, and the poking sensation disappeared. "I'm not gonna let you pull that trick again."

Ember's eyeholes glowed with more ferocity, and the poking sensation returned. Po winced and clenched his teeth, but thought back to his training. After the incident with the mind controlling sorceress of the Song Province, Shifu had taught him and the others to resist mental attacks.

_Fight it. Don't let her in. Raise all barriers. Think about Tigress. You have to get out of here and find her._

He clenched his fists as Ember's attack intensified. His eyes felt like they were on fire, and they were starting to weep.

And then as quickly as she started, she stopped. Po wiped his eyes quickly and glared at her.

Ember's dragon mask was fixed in the same fierce expression, but he knew that she was glaring back.

_I understand, Po. You don't want to die. But it's the only way._

"No." Po said. "It isn't gonna happen."

Ember hissed. The fires in her eyes went out, and then Po saw nothing more.

The torches came back to life and the room returned to normal. Po was alone once more, but he didn't feel relieved at all.

She would be back. He knew it.

Po's eyes still felt wet and he rubbed them. He caught sight of his damp paw when he stopped. The black glove was stained red.

Horrified, Po rubbed at his eyes with both paws, and didn't stop until his eyelids were sore.

_Holy clustercrap, was I bleeding?! Darnit, I gotta get out of here!_

He rushed to the door and shoved it open. He stepped through the bars and to the other side.

One arm holding the makeshift meteor hammer, the other holding the frying pan, Po continued on to what he dearly hoped was freedom.

 


	3. Before and After

_Four weeks before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_In the dream, Viper was once again too late._

_It was the same dream she had every few days after Tujiu's death in the Himalayas, at the hands of the entity known only as Ember. Back then, no-one knew who or what she really was. Ancient texts within the fortress of White Fortitude called her the Dragon Empress, a god-like being who ruled the lost city of Shambhala. The fortress itself was an outpost, where the Dragon Empress would meet with ambassadors and other guests while keeping the location of her city safe. The nature of the Empress herself, however, remained a terrifying mystery._

_In the dream, Viper and Crane were racing through the dimly lit passage towards the library, pursuing the dangerously insane Tujiu after his last attempt on Emperor Xian's life. As they reached the stairs leading up to the end of the passage, they were aware of how unusually hot it was. They reached the top just as Tujiu started screaming._

_Once in the library, they saw the flames chasing Tujiu towards the secondary library, the one with all the scrolls and books written in foreign languages, flames that seemed to be alive and taunting Tujiu as he tried in vain to escape._

_Despite their instincts telling them to get away, that there was nothing they could do, that something terrible was about to happen, Viper and Crane had followed, and it was in the second library that it happened._

_Tujiu standing in the middle of the room, trembling. Viper and Crane stepping forward to apprehend him. A blast of fiery heat knocking them to the floor and holding them there as Ember went for the kill._

_She had been to close that Viper could have reached out with her tail and touch her leg._

_Nothing can stop her now, Tujiu had said._

_And so nothing stopped her from entrapping Tujiu in a ball of flame and crushing him into ash as black as death._

_His agonized screams were torture to Viper's ears._

_Oh gods..._

_Oh gods no..._

_"_ _No!" Viper cried out as she woke with a jerk._

_The cry wasn't that loud, so no-one entered the room. All was silent except for Po's snoring, barely audible through the paper walls._

_Viper curled into a tight coil on her mat, breathing heavily. It's just a dream, she told herself. It's just a dream. It's just a dream._

_But it wasn't. Not really. Dreams don't often happen in real life. But Tujiu's death had really happened. It was real. Ember was real. Even worse, she was still out there, doing who knows what. And that meant that one day, Viper would probably have to face her again. The mere thought of it brought her close to a heart attack._

_Gods, she needed a drink._

_Taking care to not disturb the others, Viper slithered into the hallway and to the kitchen. Two minutes later she had a kettle boiling. She was taking a teacup from the cupboard when Master Shifu entered the room._

_"_ _Master!" Viper quickly bowed. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be out of bed, but-"_

_"_ _Bad dreams again?" Shifu asked. Viper nodded. Shifu took the teacup and pulled another out the cupboard. "Sit down. I'll finish."_

_Once the tea was poured and they were both at the table, Shifu gazed at Viper with icy blue eyes full of understanding. "As you know, Viper, very little scares me. However, that doesn't suggest that I don't understand what you're going through. You're afraid of her."_

_"_ _Master?" Viper asked hesitantly. Was it really that obvious she was scared of Ember?_

_"_ _Not only have you been suffering from nightmares, but you are reluctant to leave the Jade Palace, especially at night. Also, I suspect your attitude after the events of the Himalayas wasn't just because of your temporary breakup, was it, Viper? Am I wrong?"_

_Viper shook her head. She knew better than to deny it. "I know it seems weak, but you're right. I'm scared, Master. Ember is unlike anything we have ever faced before. Nerve attacks and brute strength I can deal with, but someone who can paralyze an entire army without touching them? How can you fight something like that?"_

_Shifu stroked his beard._

_"_ _Viper, drink your tea." Viper obeyed. The sweetness of the dissolved sugar made her feel a little better. "Do you remember the bedtime story you tried to tell Su the other night? The one about the Nian?"_

_"_ _Yes, but it turned out Su hates fairy tales. Many of them are far darker than most children her age can understand, but she does. When I got to the part where the Nian started abducting people, she got so scared I had to stop." Not for the first time, Viper felt a pang of guilt and sadness for the girl._

_"_ _Speaking of Su, I have a task for you concerning her." Shifu said. "You know she is returning home with her parents in five weeks."_

_"_ _Yes." Viper was not pleased at the thought, even though she knew Su was only staying for a little while._

_"_ _Until then, I need you to watch over her for any strange signs."_

_"_ _Is this about the procedure she and the others went through?" Viper asked. "I thought the insomnia was cured."_

_"_ _It was. However, I am reluctant to let her go home." Shifu did indeed look worried at that moment. "She is still not herself. Mr. Ping reported strange behavior when she was staying with him for a few days. And this all started after the Himalayas. That creature... it did something to her. I'm afraid that the procedure only solved part of the problem."_

_Viper felt a shiver of fear for the girl. Not only that, for the first time she felt anger at Ember. "I'll look after her." She said._

_"_ _Good. Tell me, how did that story end?"_

_"_ _The villagers used loud noise to scare the Nian away."_

_"_ _So they beat the monster." Shifu said. "There are many stories about monsters just like the Nian. Do you know why?"_

_Viper knew. Her mother had told her a long time ago. "Because they show you not just that monsters exist, but that monsters can be beaten."_

_"_ _Exactly. As long as we don't give in the fear, we will find a way to defeat Ember. I'm sure of it."_

_Viper smiled in appreciation. "Thank you, Master."_

_Shifu smiled back. "You're welcome. Finish your tea and go back to sleep."_

_With that he left, leaving Viper alone with her thoughts._

* * *

_Two months after the Jade Palace's destruction... Two days before Po's awakening..._

Viper watched over the sedated Master Shifu, hating herself for allowing him to get hurt so badly.

Monsters can be beaten, he had told her. As it turned out, so can heroes.

It had all happened so suddenly. One minute she, Monkey, Crane and Mantis were arriving back at the Jade Palace after their trip into the village, wondering why Qiang and Su's parents hadn't arrived by then, the next the imperial soldiers arrived earlier than expected and all hell broke loose. Viper had soon lost count of the many red-eyed foes she brought down. The worst had occurred when a meteor hammer studded with devilishly sharp spikes swung towards her while she was distracted.

The next thing she knew, Shifu had leapt to intercept the blow, and in a split second received two broken ribs and a dozen punctures wounds over one half of his body.

After the initial shock, Viper and the others had known then that it was over. The Jade Palace, already half burned to the ground by then, was done for. And so the first chance they got they fled, disappearing into the darkness with heavy hearts. They reached the designated hiding place in the old house in the forest to find it empty and encrusted in amethyst. Po and Tigress were nowhere to be found. As for Su, she had disappeared before the surprise invasion.

_Talk about depressed_ , Viper thought, remembering the two months between then and now. They'd first stopped in the middle of the forest to treat Shifu's injuries as best as they could, and then travelled to Mantis's hometown. They'd rested for two days before red eyed soldiers were spotted wandering in the streets and they'd had to move on. All the while Viper had listened to Mantis's ranting. The bug had vowed over and over to make the invaders pay for what they'd done. At first, Viper would shut him up each time he started, but gradually her own anger started to grow. No-one had struck as severe a blow as they did, and once they'd recovered, Viper and her friends would strike back with extreme prejudice.

Somehow, Viper knew that Ember didn't do this. She had seen what Ember could do. Ember didn't need an army. And that left the mysterious Order.

Which led to where they were now. Right now, Viper and the others were hiding in the rebuilt Tower of Sacred Flame, where the stewards of Gongmen City lived. Viper and the others had travelled there three days ago, and since then they were waiting for Shifu to fully recover. They had had a nasty scare when Shifu suddenly required emergency treatment last night, hence why he was currently sedated, but at the moment all seemed well.

Outside the tower, however, it was a different story. Over the last two months they had received news of red-eyed soldiers abducting people off the streets all over China. When those people returned, they had the same red eyes as the soldiers, and the same hostile behavior.

Viper knew of something similar that had happened in the past, when Scorpion discovered the hypnotic elixir and used it to try and conquer the Valley of Peace. Could she be involved?

Somehow, Viper didn't think so.

Shifu stirred. He would be waking up soon. "Please pull through." Viper whispered.

_Knock, knock, knock!_

Viper looked to the door. It opened, and in walked the Masters Council, Masters Storming Ox, Croc and Boar. With them was the doctor who had been treating Shifu for the last couple of days. "How is he?" Ox asked.

"Still sedated, but he seems okay." Viper said.

"I will be the judge of that." The doctor said, and immediately began examining his patient.

"What's the news?" Viper asked.

"More disappearances." Boar said irritably. "And some brainwashed goons tried to add us to the list."

"Emphasis on  _tried_." Croc added, smirking.

"Are the others okay?" Viper asked, worried about Crane in particular. This morning, Monkey, Mantis and Crane had set out with the Master's Council to do what they could about the abductions.

"Everyone except Crane has returned." Croc said. "It's almost noon, so he should be back any minute now."

"But in the meantime, we've got some bad news." Ox said. "We should talk in the throne room."

Viper took one last glance at the unconscious Shifu before leaving.

Her friends were waiting in the throne rooms when they arrived. To Viper's relief, none of them looked like they had run into trouble.

"Where's the bird?" Ox asked. Viper hissed at him. That was her boyfriend he was talking about. "Sorry."

"He'll be here soon..." Mantis said. "If those brainwashed goons didn't get to him."

Viper glared daggers, but said nothing.

"Oh well," Ox waved his arms. "One of us can explain everything to him when he gets back. We wanted to wait until Master Shifu woke up, but we've received some information that has changed the situation. Croc, you're the best at talking too much, you can take it from here."

Croc stepped forward. "First off, we've confirmed that the Order was responsible for the attack. They've finally emerged from the shadows."

"Why did they brainwash the imperial soldiers?" Monkey asked.

"The yeti's actions in the Himalayas cost the Order a lot of men, so they stole some of ours. We believe that when the imperial soldiers were sent to the valley, the Order intercepted them."

"What the hell is the Order?" Viper demanded.

Boar sighed. "We don't know much. We learned all we could from what our inside man could tell us."

"Mei Ling?"

"Yes. You must understand that she can't release too much information at a time without being discovered. Come to think of it, we haven't heard from her since the invasion."

"I'm sure she's alright." Croc said. "Anyway, here's what Mei Ling was able to relay to us so far. The Order is a secret organization of alchemists calling themselves the Children of Nuwa. Through experiments with alchemy, they've gifted themselves and members of the inner circle with an extended lifespan, special powers, and a refined version of Scorpion's hypnotic elixir. We don't yet know what their ultimate goal is, but they were definitely involved in the incident at the Temple of Heroes. According to Mei Ling, they sent Mu Zhanshi to retrieve the Sword of Heroes, but what they really wanted was the medallion that opened the temple, for it serves as a key for White Fortitude as well."

"Which means that in the end, what they really want is Ember." Ox said. "But the yeti released her before they could capture her. That makes finding her more important than ever."

_Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Not only do we have a homicidal entity on the loose, we have a cult bent on taking over the world to deal with as well! I swear, if Tai Lung or Lord Shen show their ugly faces again..._

"But rescuing our friends is still top priority, right?" Monkey asked.

"Of course it is." Ox said. "And we've discovered some information that might just help us accomplish that, and perhaps more. We know where Colonel Sao is hiding."

"Like hell you do." Mantis said.

"We overheard some of the brainwashed soldiers mention Sao and an old fireworks factory about a day's journey from here. He may know where your friends are being held We don't know how long we have before he moves on, though."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Mantis demanded.

"Me!" Crane flew in right at that moment.

"Crane!" Viper rushed over and wrapped her coils around him. "Where have you been?"

Crane hugged her back. "Sorry, I'm late. I ran into some trouble."

Viper saw then that the feathers on his wings and shoulders were slightly ruffled. Other than that, he looked okay. "Crane, what happened?" She asked all the same.

"I was heading back here when I got jumped by two soldiers. Don't worry, it was just your usual cannon fodder. They couldn't throw a punch to save their butts."

"You weren't too hard on them, were you?" Viper asked. "They're not acting under their own willpower."

"Don't worry, once I broke free I knocked them off their feet with the Wings of Justice and got out of there. But that doesn't matter." Crane shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he wanted Viper to let go. She did so, worried by the troubled look on his face. "What matters is that Mei Ling sent them."

The members of the Master's Council took a step. "Our Mei Ling?"

"Somehow she found out that we're hiding here, and sent some men after us, knowing full well that we'd make short work of them." Crane said. "I figured it out after one of them slipped a scroll into my belt. It's her way of sending us a secret message."

With that, he pulled out a tiny scroll and held it out to Croc. Croc took the scroll. Seconds passed as he read it in silence. "What did she say?" Crane asked eventually.

" _Attack at Imperial City. HQ. I'll be waiting for you there._ " Croc said. "And just when I was thinking things couldn't get any worse."

Viper went cold all over. If the Children of Nuwa were attacking the Imperial City... then Emperor Xian and his family were almost certainly the targets. "We have to do something." She said.

"Agreed." Croc said. "But someone still has to go after Sao. I feel we should split up. Ox and I will stay here to protect the city and oversee Grandmaster Shifu's recovery. Some of you will apprehend Sao and find out what he knows, and the rest will go to the Imperial City and find Mei Ling."

"So who gets to go after Sao?" Monkey cracked his knuckles eagerly.

"We've been thinking about that." Ox said. "To capture Sao, we will need a team of about two people to sneak into the building with minimal detection. Master Boar knows the area, so he'll go. As for his partner, we need someone small enough to slip inside undetected and unlock the door so Boar can get in. That leaves Viper and Mantis."

"I'll do it." Viper said at once. "I have my own questions for that little weasel."

It was a sign of how much faith Crane had in her abilities that he didn't protest. She silently thanked him for that.

"As for Crane, Mantis and myself, we'll find Mei Ling." Monkey said. "So when do we go? I'm up for now."

"Oh, I can do now..." Mantis agreed, folding his arms confidently. "And hopefully kick some dragon lady butt along the way."

_Tujiu standing in the middle of the room, trembling. Viper and Crane stepping forward to apprehend him. A blast of fiery heat knocking them to the floor and holding them there as Ember went for the kill..._

Viper shuddered, and sincerely hoped that Mantis was right.


	4. Hatred

_Three weeks and six days before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_In one corner of the training hall courtyard, Po was in the middle of a crisis._

_"_ _Hang on..." Po muttered under his breath. "Hang in there just a little longer..."_

_This wasn't going as well as he'd hoped. If he didn't stop the bleeding soon, it would be all for nothing. Keep trying, he told himself. Keep... trying..._

_Minutes passed, and he was making no progress. Po started biting his lip. His paws were shaking. "Hang on... hang on... hang on!"_

_"_ _For crying out loud, it's just a tree!" Monkey yelled after an hour and a half of leaning against a tree trunk drumming his fingers._

_"_ _It's not just any tree!" Po retorted. "It's a hurt tree! And Shifu says I have to practice using what little Hero's Chi my body can generate!"_

_"_ _Yeah, yeah..."_

_Po stood up. Any other day he would put up with Monkey's attitude. Not today. "Excuse me, but this technique saved Tigress's life in the Himalayas! If I hadn't gotten the hang of it at the time..." Po realised he was reminding himself of that terrible night and turned back to the tree. "Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped. It's just that I've been working on this for weeks and I've got nothing to show for it!"_

_Monkey got up from the trunk. He looked like he was doing a little regretting himself. "Don't worry, Po. You'll get the hang of it. The problem is that you've got so little chi to work with, so it's going to take a little longer."_

_"_ _I know, I know." Po pressed his paw against the tree, beside a cut that was leaking orange sap. "I don't get it. I pulled it off with Tigress, so why am I sucking again?"_

_"_ _Probably because it's not Tigress." Monkey suggested. "Like I said, it's just a tree. We've been here for hours. Why don't you have a break? I'm up for some dizzy kung fu."_

_Monkey grinned. Po started grinning himself. "Last one to the turtle bowl has to spin it!"_

_"_ _And the first one to the turtle bowl will be dusting the artifacts for two weeks." Said a voice behind them._

_Crap._

_Po and Monkey slowly turned round. Shifu was standing by the fallen tree trunk. "However, Monkey is right." He said. "You need a break. Unless you want to spend the afternoon mopping up your own vomit, you will spend it meditating with me."_

_"_ _Awww!"_

_"_ _No awwws. Hall of warriors. Five minutes." Hands behind his back, Shifu strolled off._

_While Monkey apologised and headed inside to train some more, Po raced to the hall of warriors as fast as his short legs could carry him, making it through the massive wooden doors just in time. Shifu was already in a lotus position before the turquoise moon pool._

_"_ _You're late." Shifu replied._

_"_ _No, I'm not!" Po replied, and he knew it. He'd counted the seconds on his way here. "Wait, are you messing with my head like Oogway used to do to you?"_

_"_ _How did you know about that?"_

_Po shrugged._

_"_ _Po, just sit down."_

_Po sat down. "Master Shifu, are you okay? It's about Eagle Jr. and the top dog of HQ visiting tomorrow to discuss Ember and the Order, isn't it?" Shifu's ears went flat. Po was on the right track. "Tigress told me you hate the top dog. What's his name, anyway?"_

_"_ _No-one knows, and no, I don't hate him." Shifu sighed. "He's a decent enough person, but he always goes around calling himself 'Top Dog' and insists that everyone else do the same. He claims he's too important to put his true identity at risk, but in my opinion it's ridiculous and immature. He's just another example of HQ's incompetence." Shifu's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare tell anyone I said that."_

_Po mimed the zipping of his lips. "Zip it, lock it."_

_"_ _Let's just meditate. Close your eyes and still your mind."_

_Po closed his mind and tried to still his mind. After five seconds he asked, "Aren't Tigress and the others joining us?"_

_"_ _This session is only for those with inner peace." Shifu explained._

_Even with his eyes closed, Po frowned. Something in Shifu's voice was causing alarm bells to ring in his mind, just like that time when Shifu had told him his kung fu would improve if he wore a bucket on his head._

_"_ _Okay, what are you up to? Am I in trouble?"_

_Shifu didn't answer for a while. Then he grunted and stood up. "There is no point in lying. There is something I wish to test. Two days ago I experienced something very disturbing during my meditation session with the junior kung fu class, and I want to see if you feel it too."_

_"_ _Ooooooo... kay..." Po had a sudden urge to eat something. He could feel the tension emanating from the red panda and felt a sense of dread. Something was upsetting Shifu, and it wasn't Top Dog or the fact that Po had caught on to his plan. What had Shifu experienced? Did it have something to do with Ember? Po didn't want to know, but even so he didn't protest to Shifu's test. "So, how are you going to test me?"_

_"_ _In a moment, Su and Viper will be joining our session. They would be here earlier, but Su broke a bowl during lunch. I told them to come straight here once she'd cleaned up the mess."_

_"_ _Su and Viper?"_

_"_ _Once they get here, just act normal. And not a word about the test to either of them."_

_Po nodded and resumed meditating. Before he knew it he heard the doors open, and Viper and Su step in and apologise for the delay. They sat down behind Shifu and Po._

_"_ _Before we begin the session, I would like to remind you all that Master Eagle Jr. and Top Dog will be arriving tomorrow morning." Shifu said. "I want you to be on your best behavior, as Top Dog is one of the most important men in the country. The purpose of their visit is to discuss possible countermeasures against... the Order."_

_The hatred hit Po like a wave of liquid fire._

The traitor!

The treacherous witch who joined forces with the monsters who murdered her children, ravaged their homes and took her life! They took everything from her! Everything!

Kill them! Tear them apart! Destroy everything they've worked for!

The traitor's followers were different from the monsters. They were mortal, flesh and blood, just like her children. Inside, they were no different from the monsters.

_What the heck?!_

_Po shuddered. His palms were sweaty and his eyelids twitched. His heart thudded so hard he thought it might explode. He wanted to run away, to escape the hatred, but he was paralyzed._

Every single one of them had to die. Every single one. They had made her children bleed. They had made her children scream. She would make them scream louder.

_The burning hatred slowly but surely faded to a mild scalding pain inside his head. Po's limbs started to work again and he clutched his head, sweating profusely. His ears were ringing. The violent thoughts echoed in his brain. He wanted to scream, but his mouth wasn't working. He was dimly aware of a sobbing behind him._

_"_ _Su?! Su, what's wrong?" Viper yelled._

_Po forced himself to open his eyes and turned his body. His heart sank when he saw Su's eyes streaming as she pressed her small paws against her head in obvious agony. "Shut up." Su whimpered. "Shut up!"_

_"_ _Viper, take her to the doctor, now!" Shifu ordered._

_Po was sure Su's tears had a faint reddish tint._

* * *

As Po searched the desolate rooms for the key to the big heavy door that looked a lot like an exit, he wondered if Su was here somewhere, a prisoner like he was. A part of him hoped it was true, since it meant she was definitely alive. He hadn't seen her since the afternoon before the Jade Palace was destroyed.

He remembered the day of Shifu's test. Su's headache had faded soon after they brought her to the palace doctor, but the hatred Po had sensed didn't go away for hours. It wasn't until sunset that Shifu gave him the explanation he wanted. Su had been part of the kung fu class when Shifu first experienced the hatred, and since then, whenever he mentioned the Order in her presence, he would sense it again. However, no-one else could, except for Po. Apparently, it was because both he and Shifu possessed inner peace. After all, inner peace supposedly allowed you to hear a butterfly's wing beat.

Confirming that theory had been the purpose of Shifu's test, but it wasn't the only purpose. It had also confirmed something Shifu had feared for some time. Ember had definitely done something to the little girl. When she'd tried to force Su to do her bidding, something had broken.

Wherever she was now, Po hoped she was okay.

He hadn't seen Ember since their encounter in the barred room, but he had a prickly feeling in the back of his neck that she was watching him. As he dug through the debris, he kept glancing at the darker corners of the room. What the heck did she want, anyway? Why did she attack the prison? Was it to get to him?

Just as Po was about to lift an upturned table in a small bedroom, he heard the faint crackling of stone being crushed underfoot.

Being a panda who punched first and asked questions later, Po pulled the frying pan from his belt and swung in one fluid motion. With a resounding clang he struck the armoured buffalo that had been sneaking up behind him with a mace. The buffalo dropped his weapon and fell to the floor, stunned.

Mildly surprised that someone was still alive in this place, Po rushed over until he was right on top of the assailant and aimed the frying pan at his face. The buffalo's eyes were brown, not red, and were wide as dinner plates.

"Who are you?" Po demanded. He wasn't in the mood for jokes.

The buffalo rubbed the side of his face, blinking. "You're one of the prisoners from the Jade Palace."

"Don't make me smack you again." Po said. "Who are- wait, what do you mean one of the prisoners? Are my friends here? Answer me!"

The buffalo got up on his knees. "What if I don't want to tell you?"

_Clang!_

When the buffalo got up off the floor again, he was much more cooperative. "We only got you and the tiger girl. The rest of you got away. I was the warden assigned to oversee your confinement."

_So the others are probably okay, but Tigress is here, somewhere._

Po leaned over the buffalo to hopefully look more intimidating. "Where is she?"

"No idea. We were just about to transfer the pair of you to another location when everything went to hell. The others probably got her out in time."

"Darnit!" Po slammed his free fist into the wall. Tigress could be anywhere now. A sudden humourless laugh from the buffalo did nothing to quench the panda's fury. "What's so funny?!"

"Panda, that's the least of your problems. There's something in this prison. Something not even you kung fu fanatics will have faced before. Did you see it?"

"See what? Ember? Yeah, I saw her."

"No, not her! She showed up after this all started!"

Po stared in disbelief. "You mean something else caused all this?" He looked around at the destruction.

The buffalo glared at Po. "Yeah. It's more or less killed everyone in this place, and it's gonna kill us too if we don't get out of here!"

"Well the only door out of here is locked." Po replied. Something connected in his head. "If you're the warden, then you would have access to the keys. Hand it over."

The buffalo didn't move. "You warriors have a code of honour, right? If I hand over the keys, you have to promise to get me out of here."

Po was tempted to take the easy option and beat the crap out of him, but it wasn't something either Tigress of Shifu would want him to do. Besides, he wasn't that kind of person. He lowered the frying pan. "Fine, I promise. Try anything and you're dead meat."

"Yeah, whatever." The buffalo stood up. "The only exit that wasn't destroyed by that thing is the one leading to the catacombs, where all the poor clods who die here go. I'm guessing that's the door you're talking about. Let's get going. And by the way, keep the noise down."

With that, they left the room and quietly made their way to the big doors. Po glared at the warden. "Keys. Now." The warden stayed still. "Don't make me punch you." The warden grumbled and handed over a set of keys. "You're not going to tell me which one fits?"

The warden smirked. "You hit me in the face with a frying pan. Twice. Consider this payback."

Po did a little grumbling himself as he tried key after key. He got it right with the seventh key and pushed one of the heavy doors open. On the other side he discovered a tunnel carved out of the earth, lit with flaming wooden torches. He listened, but didn't hear anything. "I don't like tombs. Do we have to go in there?"

"If you want to get out of here alive. Like I said, all the other exits were destroyed in the chaos."

"Speaking of which, what did you mean when you said something other than Ember caused this?" Po asked as they started down the tunnel. "Is there a Dragon Emperor?"

"I dunno, maybe. Nothing like Ember, though. It's a monster."

"I've faced monsters before."

The warden shook his head, the fear returning to his eyes. "Nothing like this. You can trust me on that, if anything."

Po wasn't sure if he was exaggerating. As they walked he kept turning his head, making sure they weren't being followed. "What does it look like? It may be something I've faced before."

"I only caught a glimpse. It was like black smoke, and it seemed awfully keen on killing the creepy masked guy Lady Hei Nuwang sent to escort you and the tiger girl."

A shiver crawled up Po's spine.  _That masked guy from the kitchen... and that black blur... oh, holy crap._  Suddenly the stone and chain and the frying pan felt very inadequate. "Who's Hei Nuwang?"

The warden didn't answer. Instead he pointed to the opening up ahead. "Up ahead is the room where they prepare the dead for burial. We get into the catacombs from there and after that, there's a tunnel that leads out. You should stick with me, though. It's a maze down there."

They soon stepped into a big hall. There were a dozen wooden tables big enough to lie on, covered in chains, and all over the place were strewn knives, hooks, and far more disturbing looking tools. Po had a mental picture of what might have gone on here and cringed. This did not look like a place to prepare the dead. He forced himself to think of his father, boiling noodles in the jade tortoise of wisdom. That mental picture was a lot more soothing, and even made him smile.

The warden pointed to a narrow tunnel across the hall. They got halfway across before Po hesitated. Unlike the torch lit tunnel they had just passed through, this tunnel was a pitch black abyss. It looked claustrophobic. Everything about it screamed danger. Po turned to face the warden. He wasn't going down there until he got some more answers.

"You know, you never answered my last question. Who is Hei Nuwang?"

The warden gave his best 'are you kidding me?' look. "Look, when we get out of here we can discuss this over a drink."

"Answer me." Po fingered his frying pan. "Now!"

"Alright, fine! She's the big cheese, the crazy black cat running the show! Can we go, now?"

Now Po knew the identity of that panther. He was looking forward to seeing her again. "Not yet. Earlier you said me and Tigress were going to be transferred. Where?"

"To their main base of operations. I don't know where..." the warden trailed off, his ears twitched. "Do you hear that?"

Po fell silent.

At first he didn't hear anything but the warden's quiet breathing, but then he heard a sound that was so soft he didn't know what it was. He slowly turned round, but all he saw were the shadows flickering on the roughly hewn walls. He had been ambushed by bandits enough times to know that this was no normal sound. They weren't alone.

Black shadows crept around the room. Po pulled out his frying pan.  _Keep on your toes, that's what Tigress always said._

"Something's off about this room." The warden said. "We've gotta go. Now."

Suddenly his body seized up and he choked.

Po gasped out a scream.

On the wall behind the warden, one of the bigger shadows had formed a pure black tentacle that was reaching behind the buffalo's back. Po heard the tearing of flesh and the dripping of blood.

Po staggered back, his body hitting a table behind him as the warden was dragged backwards, up the wall towards the shadow. A thick, massive black arm reached out, and then the warden disappeared into the shadow in an explosion of black mist.

The warden's final scream reverberated off the walls, and then silence followed.

Po's legs turned to jelly and he sank to his butt. "What was that... what..."

A shadow had just come alive and killed a man. That never happens.  _That never happens._

He wanted to throw up. A gruesome, horrifying death had occurred right before his eyes. He wanted to curl up into a ball and hide from this nightmare. He wanted to run and hide, from Ember, from Hei Nuwang, and the black killer, from everything that had gone wrong in his life. No way was he going down into the catacombs, where he could very easily meet the same sticky end.

Then his eyes caught a glint of green on the floor. Po blinked as he realized what it was. He crawled over and picked it up.

The Heart of China was as beautiful as ever as it glimmered in his gloved paw. The warden must have taken it for himself. Po, however, wasn't angry in the slightest. Here was his reason to keep going. Tigress was out there, still in the Order's clutches. He had to find her. He had to save her from this nightmare and give her back the precious jewel. Then together they would wipe Ember and the Order off the face of the earth.

The black suit had no pockets, so Po put the Heart of China around his neck and tucked the heart shaped gem beneath the cloth. The gemstone gradually grew warm against his chest.

With one last nervous glance at the shadows, Po entered the dark tunnel.


	5. The Fugitive

_Three weeks and five days before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_The morning Master Eagle Jr. was due to arrive, Po was standing just at the top of the stone stairs, a little disgruntled due to the green vest and black pants Shifu had forced him into. They didn't stretch like his patched pants did, so whenever he moved the thick seams dug into his armpits and other sensitive parts. "Do I really have to wear this stuff?"_

_"_ _You do." Shifu replied, keeping his eyes on the stairs. "Top Dog is one of the most important people you will ever meet, and I will not have you embarrassing us."_

_"_ _Gee, thanks." Po muttered._

_"_ _And get away from those stairs." Shifu hooked Po's tight belt with his staff and pulled him back. "I don't want to send another ambassador to the healer."_

_"_ _I did apologise for that, geez!" Po ran his paw over his head. "And why did you drag me out here when I'm not a part of this meeting?"_

_"_ _Because Top Dog has never met the famous Dragon Warrior. He wishes to meet you before the meeting begins."_

_Po raised his eyebrows. "That explains the tight pants."_

_Shifu rolled his eyes, then noticed a group of people coming up the steps toward them. A familiar shape flew through the sky above them. "There they are. Straighten up, Po."_

_Top Dog was not what Po was expecting._

_Since becoming the Dragon Warrior, Po had so far met two high-ranking officials from HQ. Superintendent Wu was a short, loudmouthed jerk. Head of Chief District Superintendent Chan was a lot like Po except for the laziness, the money, and once Po got some lessons from Crane, table manners. What both had in common were the finest silk robes._

_Top Dog, a kumming wolf dog with the darkest fur, was wearing thick cotton clothes beneath scaled red armour, almost like an imperial soldier. He wore no helmet, but a short rice hat decorated with metal plates. Po found himself staring at Top Dog as he and his guards reached the top. At first he couldn't understand why someone who spent his days protecting China in the office would dress like a soldier, but then he remembered a conversation with Shifu the day before. Apparently in his earlier years Top Dog was enlisted in the army, but retired at a young age when a well-aimed arrow ruined his ability to walk without a cane. After that the only way he could aid his country was to join HQ, and he had risen high in the ranks since then. A thought in the back of Po's mind wondered if he himself could ever work in an office._

_Top Dog reached the top just as Eagle Jr. touched down beside him. Po followed Shifu's lead and bowed in respect first to Top Dog, then Eagle Jr. "It's an honour to meet you, Top Dog."_

_"_ _Likewise." Top Dog bowed in return. The armour plates rattled slightly. "You must be the Dragon Warrior."_

_"_ _The one and only." Po grinned. "Master Shifu told me a lot about you."_

_Shifu's eyes flashed. "Master Eagle Jr., it is good to see you again. How is Emperor Xian?"_

_"_ _Very busy." Eagle Jr. replied. "I should warn you that Princess Haoxin will be visiting you very soon."_

_"_ _If you can, keep her as far away from me as possible." Shifu replied._

_Po chuckled. "Master, you know she'll be focusing all her attention on Tigress and my dad. But more on my dad, since they're kinda dating, thanks to you."_

_Top Dog blinked. "Princess Haoxin has a boyfriend?!" He turned on Eagle Jr. "Of all the things you could have reported to me, you didn't mention that Princess Haoxin has a boyfriend?!"_

_A disgruntled looking Shifu stepped between them. "If you don't mind, we have a meeting. I will escort you inside. Po, would you go check on our junior students?"_

_Po nodded and walked off, certain that he had said some thing he shouldn't have._

_It took him ten minutes to reach the student barracks, and as he approached the front doors Tigress stepped out. Last week Viper had dragged her shopping for clothes after she tore her red vest during training for the umpteenth time, and today Tigress was wearing the fruit of her labour: a yellow vest with a red vine pattern. Po's face had started burning the first time he saw her wearing it. She was also wearing a small bagpack._

_"_ _Hey, Po." She greeted him with a smile. "I'm just about to go hiking. Do you want to join me?"_

_"_ _Sorry, Tigress, but Shifu wants me to take care of some stuff." Po didn't mention the real reason. "... Are we still up for our test date?"_

_"_ _Our what?"_

Oh crap, she forgot.

_"_ _Oh, that." Tigress's smile flickered. "How about a couple of weeks from now?"_

_"_ _Sure, okay." Po felt some unease, but nevertheless walked past her into the building._

_He told himself it was just nerves. Tigress wasn't really a dater, so it was natural that she would be nervous. Even so he was still deep in thought when he reached his destination and knocked lightly on the paper door._

_There was a clatter of wood on wood, and then Su opened the door. She looked like she hadn't slept well. "Hey, Su." Po said._

_"_ _Hi." Su said. She looked a little irked._

_"_ _Aaaaaareeee you okay?" Po asked._

_"_ _Just tired. And thinking about stuff. Don't want to talk about it."_

_"_ _Alright, fine." Po rubbed his head, something he'd been doing a lot lately. "I just wanted to check up on you after yesterday."_

_"_ _I'm fine. Just a migraine, bleeding eyes, voices in Su's head. Nothing out of the ordinary."_

_Po stared at her like she'd just given him an impossible riddle. "You are Su."_

_"_ _I said I'm fine. You look distracted. What's on your mind?"_

_Po interlocked his fingers nervously. Something about the way she was speaking and her expression was unusual, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "I'm just thinking whether or not the bedroom is the best place to have a first date."_

_Su turned bright red and looked like a child again. "Oh shurrup! We're just playing checkers!"_

_Po looked over her head into her room. On the floor were a checker board and a mortified young pig called Pong. On the bed reading a scroll was Viper, who was currently trying to keep from laughing. "Now that's just an unfortunate coincidence."_

_"_ _We're not dating, that's gross!" Su yelled, clutching the edge of the door with both paws. "Only grown ups like you date! Now go away and date missus Tigress!"_

_"_ _How did you-"_

_"_ _I told her." Viper said. She lost some of her self control and started giggling. "Besides, everyone knows. They're just waiting for you to get on with it."_

* * *

Viper wasn't giggling as she and Master Boar bounded across the forest towards their destination, the abandoned fireworks factory where the fugitive Sao was supposedly hiding. They'd left soon after it was decided that she and Boar would undertake the task of capturing Sao and getting information out of him, while the rest of the Five would travel to the Imperial City to find Mei Ling and stop whatever trouble what happening there.

Viper had first met Master Boar during the last Winter Feast, and though that meeting had only lasted for forty seconds, she'd learned three things. One, he appeared to be a rather cold blooded person. Two, the likely reason was the sudden loss of his older brother years ago. Three, contrast to his pudgy appearance he was a master of stealth. Back then she hadn't been sure if she liked him.

Now that she'd spent some time living with him, she'd learned something else. Though cold blooded, Boar was capable of compassion, but it was saved for the innocent and the small time criminals who stole out of desperation. Colonel Sao, who'd not only contributed to the attempted murder of Emperor Xian but kidnapped a young girl and was partly responsible for the deaths of dozens of soldiers, was not going to get any mercy. Boar had made that very clear to Viper when she'd asked what they'd do with him once they'd gotten what they wanted. Fortunately he'd only meant that they would toss him in the nearest prison to rot, and beat him to a pulp if he resisted.

"Wait." Boar stopped on a thick branch. Viper stopped on another branch two feet from him.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing is wrong. There's just a couple more things I want to go over before we get there." Boar's gaze was intense. "First, are you sure you've told me everything I need to know about Colonel Sao? Does he have any specials skills that he could use against us? It just that it seems hard to believe that the Children of Nuwa would make the effort to retrieve him from prison unless he was still of some use to them."

Viper shook her head. "There's nothing else I can think of. He didn't show anything special in the Himalayas."

"Right. Also, aside from the Dragon Warrior and Master Tigress, is there anyone else we should inquire about when we find him?"

"Su." Viper said at once. "She'd disappeared right before the Jade Palace was attacked. Her parents and Po's birth father had disappeared earlier before that. We don't know for sure, but it's very likely the Children of Nuwa got them too."

"All the more reason to find that fox." Boar said. "We'd better get moving before he-" He froze. "Quiet."

Viper didn't move a muscle. She heard the distant sound of two men talking. She caught the name 'Sao' and knew at once what it was.

"A patrol." Boar muttered. "Let's take them out. Quietly."

Silently they crept through the trees towards the two men. As they got closer, Viper could tell that the tone of their voices was dull and emotionless. They must be brainwashed. Soon enough she saw them. Two rhinos in black armour, with crossbows and red eyes. By now they had stopped talking.

"Don't break anything." Viper whispered to Boar.

"They'd kill us as soon as look at us. No promises."

"I mean it. They're not acting under their own will."

"Fine."

There was a breeze rustling the leaves, drowning out the sound of their movements as they moved behind the two rhinos and dropped to the ground. Boar gestured for Viper to take the rhino on the left while he took the right. Viper slithered up. At the same time they struck. Viper wrapped her coils around the rhino's neck and didn't let go until he passed out. Several feet away she heard a grunt as Boar took out the other rhino.

"Nicely done, flower girl." Boar said. "We can't be far now."

Sure enough, they reached their destination, a short cliff that gave them a perfect view of the run down fireworks factory. Boar crouched low and crawled towards the edge. Being much smaller, Viper didn't bother lowering herself any further as she joined him and observed the building. It was eerily similar to the factory in Gongmen City, where Shen had mass-produced his ultimate weapon, especially when she looked down in the courtyard and saw-

"Oh hell." She whispered.

Cannons. Big, evil looking cannons being shoved into crates by a dozen red-eyed men.

"Now we know what happened to Shen's plans." Boar said. He didn't look very surprised. Suddenly he nudged Viper's 'shoulder' and pointed. "There's our guy."

Sao was standing by a normal looking soldier. He said some words that Viper couldn't hear and disappeared through a door. She felt a deep sense of dread.

"He must be overseeing the production of these weapons." Boar said. "That's one more thing to question him about. You remember the plan?"

Viper knew. First they would take out the men in the courtyard. Second, Viper would slither into that hole in the rotten wood above the door Sao had just gone through and let Boar in. Third, depending on how many men were inside, they would either take out or sneak by them until they found Sao. She ran through those steps in her mind one more time before nodding.

She'd done the first step a dozen times with the Furious Five, so taking out half of the men in the courtyard one at a time was like taking candy from a baby. Not that she'd do anything so cruel, of course. Once boar had dealt with the other half they turned their attention to the door. Boar gave a push and found it unsurprisingly locked. "I can't jump that high. Give me a boost." Viper said as she looked up at the hole.

Boar grabbed the middle of her body and lifted her above his head. From there Viper effortlessly leapt up and through the hole.

She'd expected to see the large foundry that produced the cannons once she was inside. It was just like the machinery in Shen's factory. What she didn't expect was that the foundry looked like it hadn't been used in days. Even the massive vat that held the molten metal was empty and stone cold. There were no men to be seen.

Viper didn't like this at all.

"Hey, flower girl!" Boar whispered from the other side of the door. Viper quickly unlocked the door.

Boar strode inside and frowned when he saw the inactive foundry and the lack of people. "Looks like we got here a little too late."

"What do you mean?" Viper asked.  
"The foundry's empty and the only men here are the ones outside." Boar said. "You know what that means? The Order doesn't need the foundry anymore. They have all the cannons they need. The people out there must be a skeleton crew left behind to prepare the last of the cannons for transport."

"Oh my god..."

To Viper's confusion, Boar smirked. "Look on the bright side. Sao's easy pickings."

Boar was right. Without any guards to fight or sneak past, tracking Sao down was easy. The only other door in the big room was one on the bottom floor. Where it led to, they didn't know, but Sao wasn't anywhere else.

Boar crept to the door, with Viper at his side. He pressed his ear to the wooden surface. After a moment, his eyes narrowed. "He's here. When I open the door..."

He put a hoof on the door handle. Viper poised, ready to lunge inside the moment he opened the door. He opened it with a bang.

In a millisecond they were inside the smaller room full of crates and barrels. On the far side Sao cursed and pulled out a reloadable crossbow. Viper moved her head to the right just in time to avoid the arrow. Before either she or Boar could retaliate Sao had another one ready to fire. Tucked in his belt was a large rolled up scroll. "Stay back!" He yelled.

Viper and Boar could easily deflect the arrows and take him down in seconds. Viper, however, had made it clear to Boar beforehand that they were to give him once chance to surrender without a fight. As much as she hated Sao, she hated the idea of resorting to violence unless absolutely necessary even more intolerable.

"There's no-one to help you, colonel!" Boar said. "Give up!"

"Never! I'm not going back to jail!" Sao retorted.

"Put the crossbow down or we will hurt you!" Boar replied.

"Go to hell!" Sao fired straight at Boar's chest. Boar deflected the arrow effortlessly, a hint of respect in his eyes. Sao was an excellent shot.

Speaking of Sao, the fox had just disappeared through a door they hadn't noticed.

"Colonel!" Boar growled as he and Viper started after him. They entered an unlit corridor in time to see Sao race out the exit at the far end and slam the door behind him. Boar reached the door first and smashed it with one kick.

They were back in the courtyard again. Sao had reached the big doors that led outside into the forest. If he made it to the trees, it would make catching him all the more difficult.

So it was a good thing Viper and Boar had the sense to bar the doors with a fallen branch before entering the building.

Sao shoved at the doors three times before giving up. By that time, Viper and Boar were mere feet away.

"Nice to finally meet you, Sao." Boar said. "Did you know that the Jade Palace was built centuries ago in Master Oogway's honour?"

Sao took a deep breath and slowly turned around. To his credit, he didn't look all that scared. "Yes, I did. It's a shame what happened. No hard feelings?"

"None whatsoever." Viper grinned, baring her pearly white fangs. Now that she was seeing him with her own eyes once again, she remembered how he had tried to kill Emperor Xian, then kidnapped Su and took her beneath the fortress, indirectly delivering her into Ember's murderous hands.

Quick as a flash, Sao lifted the crossbow to fire, but Viper was quicker. With a flick of her tail she had knocked the weapon from his hands. Boar leapt forward at the same time, twisted Sao's arm behind his back and shoved him face first against the barred doors. "You've got a lot to answer for, colonel." Boar spoke.

Sao grunted once. "I'm guessing you're not just here to drag me back into a cell."

"Po and Tigress." Viper said at once. "Would you mind telling us where they are?"

"As a matter of fact, I-" Sao yelled as Boar twisted his arm further.

"A little girl, her parents and the Dragon Warrior's father vanished that same day." Boar said. "Your nefarious cult wouldn't be behind that too, would they?"

Sao turned his head to glare at his captor. "Yes."

"I knew it!" Viper hissed.

"Don't ask me why, my boss insisted on it!" Sao said. "Happy now? I'm cooperating. Would you mind showing me a little mercy now?"

"I don't give mercy to traitors." Boar replied.

"And I might have shown you a little mercy if you hadn't tried to kill us all." Viper added. "Where are our friends?"

Sao didn't speak. Viper and Boar exchanged glances. Boar twisted to near-breaking point. Sao hollered.

"Where. Are. Our. Friends?" Viper repeated slowly.

Through gritted teeth, Sao gave them the answer they wanted. "Just north of here is a prison the Order took over after the Imperial Army abandoned it. They were taken there."

"I know that place." Boar said.

"If you want to save them, you'll have to hurry." Sao said. "They're going to be moved to the main headquarters tomorrow."

Boar spun Sao around so they were face to face. 'And where is this main headquarters?"  
"Now that I don't know."

Boar looked Sao in the eye for a long time. "Fine. I'm convinced."

With that he headbutted Sao into unconsciousness and dropped him to the ground.

"This prison." Viper spoke. "You know the layout, don't you?"

"No. I know that it will be crawling with guards, though." Boar chuckled. "Truly a challenge worthy of our talents."

Viper didn't care about the challenge. She just wanted her friends back. And Su safe.


	6. Controversy

_Three weeks and five days before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_Ember had done something to Su. Po would have to be even dumber than usual to deny it._

_He also wouldn't deny that the earlier conversation with her had totally freaked him out. He thought that after the monks had fixed the mental damage Ember had inflicted on Su, Crane and himself, everything would be okay. He and Crane had definitely felt a lot better afterwards. As for Su, while her insomnia had been mostly cured, she still wasn't right. Not only that, she was getting worse._

_That was why Po was now standing outside the door to the meeting room. He could hear voices inside. The meeting was well underway._

_Po raised his fist to knock, but hesitated. Shifu would kill him for interrupting. On the other hand, the old master would kill him for not immediately telling him if someone was about to have a major physicalogical breakdown._

_And so he knocked._

_"_ _Come in!"_

_Po winced. Shifu didn't sound happy. Po braced himself and entered._

_Shifu, Master Eagle Jr. and Top Dog were seated around a small round table in the sparsely decorated room. Zeng was standing beside them, serving hot tea. "This had better be important." Shifu said._

_Po wrung his paws. "Master Shifu, if someone was having a physicalogical breakdown, you'd want me to tell you right away, right?"_

_"_ _A what breakdown?"_

_Po wasn't sure how to get the message across without the others finding out. "You know, when someone starts..." he crossed his eyes. "Falling apart?"_

_"_ _Unless someone has been cursed by a skinless demon, I have no idea what you are talking about."_

_Eagle Jr. and Top Dog glanced at each other._

_Po twirled his finger and crossed his eyes. "I mean when someone is falling to pieces." Shifu stared. "When they're cracking like crackers." Shifu kept staring. "When their tree isn't going all the way to the top branch."_

_Suddenly Top Dog laughed. "Dragon Warrior, you mean psychological!"_

_"_ _Gaaaaah!" Po smacked his forehead. No wonder Shifu wasn't getting it! "Sorry, Master Shifu!"_

_"_ _Can you seriously not pronounce the word psychological, panda?" Shifu shook his head. "What is going on?"_

_Po glanced at the guests then back at his master. "Master Shifu, I need to talk to you in private." Shifu didn't budge. "Look, this crazy dragon lady-"_

_"_ _You are talking about the Dragon Empress, I presume?" Top Dog spoke._

_Po turned his head. Top Dog was a lot sharper than the other bureaucrats he'd met. "Yeah."_

_"_ _We were just discussing her. Grandmaster Shifu told me you have had a few close encounters with her. Would you kindly pull up a seat and tell us about them?"_

_Po caught the glint in Shifu's eye. Wordlessly he sat down in the chair Zeng had just pushed behind him. He had some difficulty squeezing his butt between the arms._

_"_ _They weren't encounters so much as dreams." He decided to start with. "I don't know if Master Shifu mentioned this, but one time when this happened, me, Crane and Su had started sleepwalking. Basically, in every dream Ember would say something creepy and then kill me. After that, I wake up. I think the sleepwalking stuff was her way of controlling us. Like some kind of demonic possession."_

_"_ _Possession." Top Dog repeated dismally. "Perhaps the habit of killing you at the end of each dream is how she relinquishes control. Does she have any other abilities?"  
"She can control fire." Po replied. "That was how she... took out Tujiu. She can probably move stuff with her mind, too."_

_"_ _And most disturbing of all, she can paralyze people without even touching them." Eagle Jr. added._

_Top Dog twitched. "She can what?"_

_"_ _I experienced it first hand. It's like a nerve attack, but she doesn't need to physically touch you to perform it. Half the imperial army fell victim to this."_

_Top Dog cast his eyes down to the half empty tea cup and held his fist to his mouth. "A nerve attack that doesn't need physical contact... how can we fight something like that?"_

_"_ _Anything is possible." Shifu said. "We just need to find her weakness and make her suffer for it. A weapon, arrogance, anything that we can use against her. Po, from what you've seen, would you consider her insane?"_

_"_ _Well, duh!" Po said. "She killed Tujiu! She nearly drove me, Crane and Su nuts! She set her crazy yeti general on us-"_

_But when the yeti tried to choke you to death, she stopped him, a voice in Po's head reminded him. And when you were falling to your death, she saved you then, too._

_Po stopped speaking. That's right. She did._

_But why?_

_"_ _Dragon Warrior?" Top Dog inquired._

_"_ _Perhaps we should leave him be for now." Eagle Jr. said. "If Master Viper was traumatised after witnessing one of Ember's violent acts, how would he have felt witnessing them first hand?"_

_Top Dog sighed. "In any event, allowing this creature to live is far too dangerous. I recommend eliminating her to be top priority."_

_"_ _Whoa, whoa!" Po yelped. "I'm all for stopping her, but don't you think that's a bit too hasty?"_

_"_ _He is right." Shifu said. "Other than the fact that she ruled Shambhala, no-one knows anything about Ember. For all we know, killing her could do more harm than good."_

_Top Dog. sighed. "I apologise for not telling you sooner, but Ember's fate is out of your hands. I already spoke to the emperor, and he has personally given the order to kill Ember if she is found."_

_Shifu tensed. "Po. Leave."_

_Po stood up quickly and brought the chair with him. He pushed, but his butt was firmly wedged between the arms. "Master Shifu..."_

_"_ _Oh for crying out loud, sit down!"_

_"_ _Yes, Master." Po slowly sat back down, unwilling to look at Eagle Jr. and Top Dog._

_Eagle Jr. tilted his head towards Top Dog. "I told you he wouldn't like this."_

_"_ _I met the emperor long before you." Shifu said. "He has hated executions since he was a child. I would like to know how you talked him into this."_

_"_ _With all due respect, you brought this on yourself." Top Dog replied._

_Uh oh, Po thought when he saw the look on Shifu's face._

_"_ _Excuse me?" The red panda asked._

_"_ _Tujiu failed to stop Ember's general from releasing her. So did you." Top Dog said. "It was pulling the strings from the very beginning, always keeping one step ahead of you, and by the time you got the upper hand, it was too late. And now we have an incredibly dangerous creature with powers we have no way of fighting against on the loose."_

_Po didn't feel so good, and not just because the arms of the chair were pressing against his stomach. Now that he thought about it, it was probably the biggest failure they had ever achieved._

_Shifu seemed to deflate a little, though the furious glint never left his eyes. "You are right. I take full responsibility for that failure. But that is still no reason to outright murder her. We can't kill her until we have exhausted every other option."_

_Top Dog let out a frustrated sigh. "Well what do you suggest we do? Waste time and money craving a prison out of a mountain just for the sake of one prisoner, only for them to escape anyway?"_

_Shifu's eyes glinted even more dangerously. "That was Master Oogway's decision, not mine. It was for the best."_

_"_ _Really? Tell me, was leaving people to rot in a tailor made hellhole his answer to everything?"_

_"_ _What?"_

_"_ _It was what he did to Tai Lung, wasn't it? And when Fenghuang turned against him, sealing her in an owl shaped cage was his big idea, as was the Sarcophagus of Su Wu. You and Oogway really enjoy making people suffer, don't you?"_

_Before Po could even try to defend him, Shifu stood up and sent his teacup and saucer flying with one swipe of his arm. The cup shattered against the bare wall. Lukewarm tea splattered across the floor, barely missing Zeng's legs. The glint in Shifu's eyes had become flaming daggers._

_"_ _Oogway and I raised Tai Lung since he was a cub! How could we have killed him?!" He roared. "Putting him in jail was the hardest decision I'd ever made in my life, and Ember deserves the same!"_

_Top Dog stared at the red panda. "Too many have died for her to deserve to live."_

_"_ _No-one deserves to die. Not even Tujiu."_

_Shifu strode out without another word. Po folded his arms and glowered at Top Dog. "Even I could have handled that better." With that, he stood up and followed his master out the door, taking the chair with him._

* * *

As he thought back to that rather eventful meeting, Po couldn't help but wonder if Top Dog had a point. Maybe Ember was too powerful to be imprisoned. Even Chorh-Gom prison had only lasted a couple of decades before Tai Lung figured a way out. If they succeeded in capturing Ember and putting her in her own tailor made prison, how long would it last until a seriously ticked off Ember broke out and all hell broke loose?

_Plip!_  Po jumped, but it was just a droplet of water falling from the damp roof of the ceiling. The catacombs were freezing cold and pitch black except for the glowing orb of hero's chi hovering a couple of inches above his paw. The walls of the catacombs were smooth and decorated with skulls embedded in the walls. Every five feet he passed a sealed coffin.

Po's paws were trembling as he walked, causing the glowing orb to shiver as it floated in mid air. After that had happened in that other room, he didn't feel safe at all. The sound of the warden's dying scream kept ringing in his ears.

_It's a pity what happened to the warden. That's what happens when you hurt us._

Po spun round on the spot, and saw nothing. He hadn't imagined it. He'd just heard Ember's voice.

"Shuh-Shut up." He said.

_Do you really think you can talk that way to me? You may be the Dragon Warrior, but I am the Dragon Empress._

Po gasped as the searing heat came out of nowhere, searing the skin beneath his fur. It felt like he had fallen into a pot of molten metal. He expected fire to envelop him at any second, killing him like it had killed Tujiu, but none appeared. As suddenly as it came, the heat left, seemingly taking all the warmth in Po's body with it. He shivered, and as his concentration wavered the glowing orb dissipated.

The darkness was impenetrable. Po took several deep breaths. The cold was like knives stabbing all over his body.

"Let me tell you something." He stammered. "You don't scare me. I eat jerks like you for breakfast."

With that he started walking again. Maybe if he didn't stay rooted to the spot, he could convince himself of his own words. After a few minutes he had a new orb lighting the way and warming him back up.

Don't show weakness, he told himself. Don't let Ember think you're an easy target. You'll think of a way to stop her. You will. Once you've found Tigress and the others, of course. Po thought of the Heart of China resting against his chest and started walking a little faster.

Then he reached the fork in the tunnel and his shoulders slumped. Three paths to choose from, and no way to tell which led to the way out.

_Did you know there was a map in the preparation room?_

Po bit back an insult. "There's no way I'm going back there. What the heck was that thing?"

_Let me in and I will tell you everything you know._

"No way, no how."

_Then fester and rot._

Yeah, Top Dog definitely had a point.

After that Ember fell silent. Po sighed and held out a finger. "Eeny, meeny, miney, mo..."

By the end his finger fell on the middle path and he started walking again. Maybe mouthing off to the Dragon Empress hadn't been that smart. Then again, whatever she planned to do with his mind if he ever let her in couldn't be good considering her track record.

Before he knew it he was facing another three way fork. "Dang it!"

He leaned against the wall, fuming. The whole place was a labyrinth. He couldn't keep picking random paths or he'd never make it out. He would never find his friends.

Ember had said there was a map in the preparation room. The room where the warden had died. No. No way. What if that thing was still there? He wasn't very keen on being impaled by a living shadow.

And so he lifted his finger to pick his next path. "Eeny, meeny, miney..."  _Whoomph!_  "Son of a bean bun!"

All three paths had just violently combusted. Smokeless bright red fire blocked any chance on continuing onward. Through the flames of the middle path he thought he saw a masked figure on the other side, passing by. Though the flames of the left path he thought he saw two figures, one small, one stout.

Ember, you really want me to go back, don't you, Po thought. Fine, I'll play along, for now.

With a grimace Po pulled out his frying pan, turned round and headed back the way he came. Fortunately he knew which path was the right one when he reached the first fork and soon he was back in the preparation room.

It was just as quiet in here as it was back in the catacombs. Shadows still flickered on the walls. He kept a close eye on each one while the other searched for the map. He turned round and there it was, burned into the wall near the entrance to the catacombs. Po mentally kicked himself. How could he have missed that? He read the map carefully, and realised that he hadn't been exaggerating when he thought the place was a maze. There were dozens of paths leading into each other, with dots marking the location of each coffin. There were hundreds.

Po had no paper to copy the map with, so he would have to memorise it as best as he could. He looked to the entrance marked on the map, then tilted his eyes upwards to the first fork. From there he looked up the middle path he had already taken, towards the second four way fork where he had been blocked- wait, what?

Po leaned closer to the map. When he'd first reached the second fork, he had been faced with three paths. Yet on the map, there was a fourth. A fourth that had far more dots than the others, and led away from the other paths. It ended in a perfect drawing of the Heart of China.

A worried Po immediately put a paw on his chest. Yes, the emerald was still there. What the heck is Ember trying to pull?

Well, I'll just have to go back and find out, won't I?

Still keeping an eye out for any particularly dangerous looking shadows, Po returned to the catacombs. He reached the first fork, and took the middle path for the second time. He reached the second fork and... "What. The. Hell."

The three paths were gone. Not destroyed. Not buried in rubble. Gone. Like they had never existed.

To his left was a hole. A near perfect round black hole in the wall big enough to crawl into. A tiny pinprick of orange light was visible at the far end. Nestled in the mouth of the hole was a single scroll.

With trembling paws, Po picked it up and unrolled it. At first glance it looked like one of Crane's calligraphy drawings, except instead of a symbol it showed a picture. A picture of something he had seen before in normal paintings. The Imperial Palace. Kneeling in front of the palace was a sad looking tiger.

Po hoped this did not mean what he thought it mean. Did Ember want him to go to the imperial city? Is Tigress there? Are all his friends there? What did Ember do to them? What did she want from him?

He could hear Shifu's voice in his head. "Play along, Po. You'll find a way to stop her, eventually."

Yep, that's what Shifu would have said.

With a thudding heart, Po climbed into the hole and started crawling.

 


	7. Clay Po

_Three weeks and four days before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_After he had deceived them into breaking into the Masters' Council exhibit years ago, Tigress and Mantis had every right to be suspicious when Po asked them to help him out with an emergency in the village._

_Before they'd started down the palace steps, Mantis had hopped onto Tigress's shoulder and stated in a calm, clear voice, "If this turns out to be another trick, I'll sneak into your room at the crack of dawn and stick a shuriken up your pants."_

_With that, Po had replied, "You can't. Lately it's been too hot for me to sleep in pants."_

_"_ _So what do you sleep in?" Mantis had replied. "Oh."_

_Po waited until a red faced Mantis looked away before flashing a smirk at Tigress, feeling more than a little proud of himself. For years Mantis and Monkey, especially Mantis, had taken advantage of Po's naivety for their own amusement. At long last he'd finally, finally returned the favour. All he needed to do now was do the same to Monkey and his life would be almost complete._

_Po glanced again at Tigress as they descended. Almost, he thought._

_Just a couple more weeks. She'd promised._

_One trek through the village later, and Po's friends saw what the emergency was: a big crate roped to a lopsided cart on the outskirts, a sullen cow in brown clothes sitting on a boulder next to it. "The wheel cracked, so we're going to need to work together to get the crate to my dad in one piece." He explained._

_"_ _What's in it?" Mantis had asked. Though not entirely happy, he did look a little satisfied that it was technically an emergency this time._

_Po shrugged. "He said it was a surprise. When the deliveryman didn't show up this morning, dad sent me to check it out. He threatened me with a smacked bottom if I so much as peeked."_

_The crate was roughly the size of a wardrobe so it was somewhat easy for Po and Tigress to carry between them. Mantis was left to drag the cart, being careful to avoid causing further damage to the wheel. The cow walked beside them, his expression not so sour now that he wasn't stuck on the side of the road. When they reached the village they first stopped at the local wheelwright's workshop to drop off the cow and his cart. After paying the cow for his delivery and paying the wheelwright to fix the cart, they brought the crate straight to Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu. Mr. Ping was already waiting for them in the archway, bouncing lightly on the spot._

_"_ _Oh happy day! It's here!" He rushed over and touched the side of the crate with both paws. "So what happened, Po?"_

_"_ _The wheel broke on the cart." Po said. "We just took it to the workshop to get fixed."_

_"_ _You didn't use my money, did you?" Mr. Ping asked. Po quickly shook his head. "Then what are you waiting for? Bring it in!"_

_Po and Tigress brought it inside the restaurant and on the goose's instruction set it down in the corner by the counter. Mr. Ping rushed into the kitchen and came out holding a chisel. After a minute's discussion over whether or not a chisel was the appropriate tool for opening a crate, Po was handed the tool. He dug the chisel into a gap, pried away one of the panels... and found himself staring a light brown, super serious copy of his own face._

_"_ _Ta-da!" Mr. Ping splayed his arms out as if he meant to hug the life-sized copy of his son. "I had it sculpted from the finest clay in the province! Customers will pour in like a monsoon once they get a look at this masterpiece!"_

_Po's gaze travelled up and down the statue. It looked just like him. It even had his favoured combat pose, and the slightly unflattering grin. "It looks... awesome!" He said. Mr. Ping beamed._

_"_ _Really?" Mantis asked. "The posters, renaming the noodle shop, and putting his old mop on display weren't enough?" Tigress rolled her eyes and knocked him off her shoulder with a flick of her finger._

_"_ _Enough is never enough in the noodle business!" Mr. Ping said. "Now are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me get it out of that crate?"_

_Helping Mr. Ping to remove the statue involved letting Mr. Ping stand back and watch as Po and Tigress carefully lifted it out the crate and set it down on the stone paving. As for Mantis, he was sent to the back alley with an axe five times his size to chop the remains of the crate into firewood that the goose was in need of. Free noodle soup was shared out soon afterwards, and then the three masters began their return trip to the palace. As usual, the going was tough. His thighs were burning after one hundred and fifty steps, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was two years ago._

_As they reached the sixth hundred step, Po became aware that his two companions had not once taken their eyes off him since they'd left the restaurant. Tigress's face betrayed a mix of amusement and sympathy. Mantis just looked amused. Po supposed that they thought he was embarrassed by the statue. Honestly, he wasn't sure how he felt. Slasher smile aside, the statue looked pretty awesome. However, he was starting to think that maybe his dad was taking the dragon warrior promotion stuff a bit too far. Forget about it, Po told himself. It's just a statue. Sure some of the customers might think it tacky, but it wouldn't stop them from enjoying their secret ingredient soup._

_But if his dad started waiting tables in a dragon warrior costume he was going to have to have a word._

* * *

Viper couldn't believe her azure blue eyes.

The statue, the same clay statue Mr. Ping had bought was being displayed on top of a weathered stone column poking out of the small misty lake that lay at the base of the mountain. It was a small rocky mountain, one devoid of snow, ice and even trees. It seemed to be in good condition, aside from the thin layer of dirt covering the light brown clay. Why the invaders would steal the statue from Mr. Ping's shop and then place it here of all places was beyond her. At least Mr. Ping himself was in a much safer position. The villagers had been more or less unharmed in the attack, and it was Mr. Ping who helped Viper and her comrades evade pursuit by directing them into the back alley behind his shop.

Before they'd parted, two promises had been made. Mr. Ping would stay in the village and not endanger himself by trying to track down his son, and the Furious Five would do everything they could to get him back safe and sound.

Boar stopped pushing the pole through the bluish black water to take in the sight. "You know, for a second there I thought that really was the Dragon Warrior. Then I remembered that pandas don't have colour."

"I've seen that before." Viper said, and quickly explained the origins of the statue.

Boar chuckled. "You don't find a parent like that in every dynasty."

"Are you sure leaving Sao locked up at the factory was a good idea?"

"We don't have time to take him back to Gongmen City. Besides, by the time his people come to check on him we will have already infiltrated the building." He held up the scroll Sao had tried to protect. "At least we got Shen's plans back. With our own cannons it'll be a lot easier to fight back if it comes to all out war."

Viper held her forked tongue at that comment. She didn't like the idea of wielding the same weapons Shen had used to try to wipe out kung fu, but there was no point in complaining. The boat continued on, leaving the clay statue to disappear into the mist.

Ages later the bow of the boat scraped onto rocky ground. With the worst of the mist behind them, Viper could better see their destination: a massive stone castle devoid of decoration or any colour whatsoever, perched on the side of the mountain. As far as she could see, all of the windows were dark. "It seems deserted."

"That's what they want you to think." Boar replied, though he knew Viper well enough to know that she was thinking the same thing. "And there's the tunnel."

Viper saw a tunnel the size of Mr. Ping's archway twenty feet ahead. Water poured silently out of it, travelling in a small stream to the lake. "It's a good thing you know this place so well."

"I heard about this place a decade or so back, and checked it out for security reasons. Back then it actually was deserted. I don't think these people were here for long."

So what are they doing here? Viper wondered. What use would they have for such a large prison? Were they going to use it for prisoners of war? Viper didn't ask these questions out loud. She couldn't see how Boar could answer them.

Once they were inside the dark tunnel, Boar produced some sparks with a rough stone and lit a pair of torches. He handed the smaller torch to Viper and they continued on their way, making as little noise as possible. Other than Boar explaining in short sentences the layout of the building. The tunnel would eventually lead to an underground waterfall, which in turn would lead to the catacombs that were their way into the prison. As luck would have it they would have to pass through a labyrinth of studies, storage rooms and the kitchen to reach the cells where Po and Tigress were most likely being kept. If they hadn't already been transferred.

Viper felt the small vibration of voices up ahead and stopped. "Wait. There's a group up ahead."

"How many?" Boar asked.

Viper took a moment to analyze the coming vibrations. "Five."

"Take them out. Quietly." Boar and Viper doused their torches and continued onward.

When they reached the cavern at the end of the tunnel they first thing they saw was the waterfall pouring from a hole in the center of the ceiling into a wide pool, shining black in the poor lighting. Standing by the pool were the five guards Viper had sensed. She and Boar quickly hid behind a rock before they could be spotted. Four of them had glowing red eyes. The fifth had brown eyes wide with terror. That terror made Viper pause. Did they know she and Boar were coming?

"Remember, kill anyone you don't know!" The unhypnotised soldier, a boar of a lighter shade of brown fur, was telling his comrades in a hushed tone. "Watch my back when we're in the tunnel!"

Viper felt a tightening in her chest. What was happening upstairs?

"We're wasting time." Boar muttered, and stepped round the rock. In the short time it took for Viper to sigh in exasperation and slither around the block herself, Boar had floored the four red eyed goons with two double-punches and grabbed the fifth by the collar. "Where're you keeping the Dragon Warrior and his lady friend?"

"Wh-what?"

Boar punched him once. "Boar!" Viper said. He ignored her and repeated his question.

"On the bottom floor of the prison." The soldier confessed. "I don't know which cells exactly. You're nuts if you're going to go in there!"

"We've faced worse than the likes of your cult." Boar said. He leaned his head back to knock out the soldier with a headbutt, but Viper hissed when she realised he wasn't finished talking.

Even though he was dangling from Boar's hoof the soldier's body was tense, and he wouldn't stop shaking. "What's wrong?" Viper asked.

"You don't understand... I'm serious... you're going to die in there." The soldier surprised them both by shoving himself out of Boar's grip. "That- that monster... it killed them all. It can't die. It can't die..."

"What are you talking about?" Viper asked. The soldier's fear was contagious. "Is Ember he- wait!"

The soldier pushed himself between them and ran for the tunnel they had just exited. "You can't kill it! You can't!" He cried before he was gone.

For a long time the only sound was the falling water. "Do you have any idea what he was talking about?" Boar asked.

Viper shook her head and looked to the other tunnel, the one which would lead them to the catacombs. The darkness was opaque, capable of concealing anything. "Maybe coming in this way wasn't a good idea."

"It's the quickest route to your friends, flower girl." With a rock and some sparks Boar relit one of the torches.

"Call me that again and I'll make you eat the petals."

Boar snorted. "Fortunately I know the way through the catacombs. Don't leave my side once we go in there, got that?"

When they were in the catacombs it was apparent that Boar knew what he was doing. He made each turn without any hesitation, eyes peeled for any signs that they were not alone. Viper followed him in silence, chills running down her supple spine as she thought about what the soldier had said.  _What_  exactly had 'killed them all'? Was it Ember, or something else? Something worse? Viper thought of Tujiu and didn't think that it was possible.

They passed a round hole in the wall that looked like it had been filled in recently, travelled up some stairs and then they were out of the darkness and in a shadowy room filled with tables and disturbing looking tools. Boar looked down at her with a surprisingly reassuring look. "See? We're in, flower girl." Viper started to take off her metal lily decorations. Unfazed, Boar gestured for her to put them back on. "You can punish me for my insolence after we've rescued your friends."

They found the big doors that led to the corridors and pushed their way through. "What the hell happened here?" Boar spoke when they saw the devastation. Now that they had seen it for themselves, the soldier's words didn't sound so much like the ravings of a nutcase anymore.

"My god, Boar..." Viper whispered. "Where did they all go?"

"Perhaps it's best not to think about it." Boar said. "Come on, and keep your eyes and ears open."

A black shadow flashed across the corridor before them and disappeared into one of the rooms.

As they walked, Boar pulled out a small map of the building he had drawn back when it was still a derelict. "The entrance to the prison cells straight down and to the left... damn!" They stopped by a sloped pile of debris. "That was the only way up to the upper floors!"

"But the soldier said our friends were at the bottom." Viper said.

"I know, but I was hoping we could scour the whole building, maybe find some information we could use against these scumbags."

Viper saw red light coming from the top of the debris. "Look, there's a gap. I can squeeze through and see what I can find."

Boar frowned. "I don't think splitting up is wise."

"If the rest of the building is as messed up as this, that will make for a lot of hiding places." Viper said. "I can sneak around and come straight back while you go find Po and Tigress."

Boar sighed and handed her the map. "You'll need this. I'm giving you thirty minutes to find as much as you can and come back.  _Don't_  be tardy."

"Yes, sir." Viper snarked. "We'll meet up back in the room with the tables." She slithered up the pile and into the hole.

On the other side were a narrow room and a set of stone stairs leading dozens of floors up.

 


	8. The Clay Po Situation

_Three weeks and three days before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_The only reason Po was up one hour before the morning bell was because Top Dog was an early bird, and Po had pulled the short straw. The panda was yawning ever two minutes and was seriously considering propping his eyelids with toothpicks as he waited alongside Top Dog at the top of the stone steps. Eagle Jr. had gotten up earlier than they did to send a report to Emperor Xian concerning the outcome of the meeting, and should be back any time now._

_"_ _I do appreciate that you got up so early to guard me, Dragon Warrior." Top Dog spoke after an uncomfortable silence. "Normally I would be fine on my own, but after what happened with Superintendent Wu and those pigs I don't want to take any chances."_

_"_ _How's Wu doin', anyway?" Po asked. "I haven't seen him since all that stuff with the special cargo."_

_Top Dog thought for a moment and then chuckled. "He tried to convince the Emperor to shut you down. I reminded him that the Emperor was an old student of Master Shifu and wouldn't take to the idea, but he wouldn't listen. Needless to say, kung fu permits became non-existent after that. Please understand that deep down, Wu does have good intentions, even if he does have a habit of ticking off people who know how to kill him with their little finger."_

_Po frowned. "Wait, you're literally the top dog at HQ, so you would have to be the one who came up with kung fu permits. Why do you sound happy that the Emperor got rid of them?"_

_"_ _Because by then it was clear that the permits were more trouble than they were worth." Top Dog said with a hint of bitterness. "I'd hoped defenders like you would be able to manage while the permits would keep criminals trained in kung fu in line." Po thought about the two months he'd spent waiting for his own permit and opened his mouth, but Top Dog hadn't finished. "I'd hadn't counted on my subordinates' inefficiency. While you and countless other masters were stuck in your academies, criminals were running rampant in the streets, and we were entirely to blame. I've spent the last year making changes so nothing like that happens again."_

_"_ _Yeah. Those few months sucked." Po replied, nodding._

_Another, not so uncomfortable silence followed. As Po watched the sun peek out from behind the far mountains, turning the light purple sky a fierce orange, he thought about what Top Dog had just said. Maybe some of the ink brush pushers at HQ weren't as sucky as he thought they were. After all, Top Dog wasn't the only one who made mistakes._

_All the same, he said, "I think you should apologise to Master Shifu before you go."_

_Top Dog frowned and looked at him. "What are you talking- ah, right." He sighed. "You're right. You're right, I said some things I shouldn't have. I'll speak to him before I leave."_

_"_ _You can talk to him now, if you want." Po pointed to the double doors of the Jade Palace. "He usually gets up round this time to meditate himself into awakeness."_

_Top Dog tilted his head. "How does that work?"_

_"_ _I have no idea. I tried it myself but woke up on my face."_

_Creak._

_Po and Top Dog turned round. Shifu had just stepped out a crack in the door. "Don't mind me, I just wish to see you off."_

_Top Dog didn't hesitate. "Master Shifu, I owe you an apology. I went too far at the meeting, and I'm sorry."_

_Shifu's eyes widened, just a little. "Apology accepted. Po, I'll take over guarding Top Dog until Eagle Jr. returns. In the meantime, I need you to go down to the village and collect a shipment of weapons for the Training Hall. Get going."_

_"_ _But Master, I was hoping for a little sleep time..."_

_"_ _Po!"_

_"_ _Alright, alright. Um, see ya later, Mr. Top Dog." Po went down the steps without another word. Back at the top he could hear Top Dog and Shifu talking. When he caught Ember's name he sped up his descent until they were out of earshot. There was no training today, so he would be spending the day with his dad. For one day, he just wanted to forget about Ember and devour some noodles._

_As he was strolling down the empty main street towards the warehouse where deliveries from outside the valley were usually sent, Eagle Jr. swooped down from the steadily lightening sky to greet him._

_"_ _Good morning, Dragon Warrior." Eagle Jr. said. "I just wanted to take this last opportunity to say goodbye before I return to the Imperial City." Po yawned again. "Dragon Warrior, I swear that sometimes when you open your mouth it's like staring into a cave."_

_"_ _Count yourself lucky you and Emperor Xian are best buds." Po folded his arms, half-miffed._

_"_ _I should continue to the palace." Eagle Jr. bowed and started flapping his impressive wings, ruffling Po's fur. "It was good seeing you, Po."_

_"_ _Likewise." Po bowed in return. Once Eagle Jr. had taken off, the panda gave a friendly wave and continued on his way._

_The echoing chime of the morning bell filled the air by the time he'd collected the shipment from the warehouse. It was mercifully less than he'd expected, being three sealed crates that fit perfectly on the cart he used to drag them back down the main street. When he started passing Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu, he heard his dad calling out to him._

_"_ _Dad?" Po walked through the archway, taking the shipment with him. Mr. Ping was emerging from the kitchen carrying an empty sack. Clay Po was standing in the far corner, frozen in the real Po's famous pose._

_"_ _It's not often you're out and about right after the morning bell, son. Is everything alright?" Mr. Ping asked._

_"_ _Yeah, I'm just picking up a shipment for Master Shifu." Po said. "Where're you going?"_

_"_ _An emergency trip to the north farms. We're about of radishes and the delivery man never showed up." Mr. Ping crossly put his free wing on his hip. "I should be back in two hours. It's a good thing you've turned up, son. Could you do your father a favour and get the shop ready for opening?"_

_Po really wanted to sleep, but leaving the shop alone wasn't a good idea. "Fine."_

_Mr. Ping smiled. "Thank you son. Again, I'll be back in two hours."_

_The goose was gone immediately after._

_With his mad kung fu skills Po made short work of prepping up the restaurant. With great speed and precision he moved all the stools from on top of the tables to the floor. He sped across the eating area, cleaning the dust off the tabletops with a single swipe of a cloth. He mopped the floor until it was sparkling in the morning sun. All in all it took him six minutes. When the mop was back in the closet and the floor was starting to dry, he sat down one of the tables closest to the kitchen and waited for his father to return. As the minutes passed, the main street outside began to fill with villagers going about their daily lives. More than once a pig, rabbit or other animal stepped into the restaurant, and once Po politely explained that the restaurant wouldn't open until his dad returned they left soon after. All of them had complimented the clay statue. Po himself had tried to avoid looking at it the whole time he'd been cleaning. Since he'd grown out of the slight narcissism he'd developed after becoming the Dragon Warrior, he'd found many of the statues in his likeness difficult to look at. Especially the ones that looked too much like him, such as Clay Po._

_One hour before Mr. Ping's estimated return, Po's stomach told him that he'd hadn't had breakfast yet. Looking forward to some dumplings mixed with hot noodles, Po got up and went to the kitchen door. He yawned again as he pushed it open._

_"_ _Quick, close the door! Close the door!"_

_A much smaller panda sprinted past Po into the kitchen, and the bewildered older panda stepped back to avoid the door as it slammed shut in his face._

_Po blinked a few times before the door opened again, and Su's face glared at him. "What are you doing? Get in here before they see you!"_

_Wondering what the heck was going on, Po quickly stepped inside and Su shut it again. "Is Mr. Ping here?" She asked._

_Po shook his head. "He went to get radishes and left me to get the noodle shop ready. I swear there's a conspiracy to kill me through sleep deprivation."_

_Su put her ear against the door, eyes narrowed._

_Po looked at the door, then Su, then the door again. He put his own ear against the door. Then Su crept to the side and peeked over the counter. Not knowing what else to do, Po followed her lead. He saw a group of kids pass by the archway. He was sure had seen them before._

_When the kids were gone, Su stood up. "Phew!"_

_Unpleasant images of his own childhood made Po bristle. "Are those kids picking on you?"_

_"_ _What? No!" Su said. "They just want me to join their stupid club!" Now Po remembered them. They were the current members of the Master Mantis fan club. "That's the sixth club this week!"_

_"_ _Sixth what?"_

_"_ _Mister Po, how many clubs are there?"_

_"_ _Six."_

_"_ _Aw crud!"_

_Po was starting to get an idea as to what was going on. "Are you telling me that every fan club in the valley have been trying to get you to join them?"_

_"_ _Yeah! Duh!" Su took an apple from a crate. "What do they want with me? I'm not a master!"_

_Po thought about how to answer. Thoughts of his fans reminded him of Pong, and all the fanboying he did while Po was training him. One memory in particular stood out. Pong was standing over Po while he was trying to sleep, gushing over watching the Dragon Warrior sleep and how he couldn't wait to tell his friends back home. A grin spread across Po's face. "I think I get it. Every kid in the valley dreams of living with six of the most awesome warriors in China, but you're the only kid who actually does it. All the clubs want you so you can tell them all about their favourite masters."_

_Su pursed her lips. "I knew it. They don't want to make friends. They just want an inside man."_

_"_ _Uh, don't you think you're being a bit too cynical-"_

_"_ _I will not be peer pressured into spying on my teachers!" Su stepped out the kitchen._

_Po sighed and followed her. "Su, that's not what I meant!"_

_The young girl turned to face him, and she saw Clay Po for the first time. "What the heck is that?"_

_"_ _My dad's idea of promoting the Dragon Warrior." Po said. "Everyone in the palace calls him Clay Po."_

_Su pointed at the statue. "Is that the freak of art Mantis talked about at breakfast?"_

_Po sucked in air through his nose. "'Freak of art' is pretty harsh."_

_"_ _Sorry."_

_Po glanced at the crates in the cart. Weapons were always awesome to look at. Maybe if he showed Su a few she would cheer up. "Hey, we just got a new shipment of some super cool stuff. Do you wanna see?"_

_"_ _I guess."_

_Po sat her down at one of the tables and grabbed a crate. He set it down on the table and pulled off a lid. "Wooooooooaaaaaaahhh..." He pulled out a brand new crossbow with intricate dragon carvings._

_"_ _Why is that crossbow so fat?" Su asked._

_Po burst out laughing. "It's a reloadable crossbow, Su. It's fat because it's designed to carry more than one arrow. Pretty neat, huh?"_

_"_ _I guess so."_

_"_ _Here, hold it." Su hesitated, but eventually took the crossbow into her small arms It was wider than her body. "Whew, it's heavy!"_

_Po pulled out another crossbow and aimed it at a poster. The poster displayed himself standing amidst scarlet flames. It reminded him of the last time he'd held a crossbow like this. Seeing that flaming arrow explode on the yeti's shoulder had been one of the most satisfying things he'd ever seen._

_"_ _Su, don't worry about those fan clubs." He told her. "If they get too pushy, just let me know and I'll make sure they back off... Su?" Su was staring at the dragon carvings on the crossbow she was holding. "Su, I'm talking to you."_

_"_ _Oh, sorry. What?" Su struggled to lift the crossbow higher._

_"_ _Never mind." Po put his crossbow back in the crate. "Those carvings are pretty cool, aren't they?"_

_"_ _I don't really like dragons." Su said. "They make me feel things I don't want to feel."_

_"_ _What do you mean?"_

_"_ _When I look at a picture of a dragon, I feel like I lost something very important to me. It's kinda stupid, I know. I haven't lost anyone yet, and I still have my lucky coin."_

_"_ _Huh. What else don't you like?"_

_Su looked to the side, thinking. Then she scowled. "Bedtime stories. Nine times out of ten, something horrible happens in the story and I get nightmares."_

_"_ _You don't say."_

_Su adjusted her grip on the crossbow. "I also hate wind chimes. Metal ones are okay because they actually chime, but wooden ones just go clunk, clunk-"_

_Twang-SMASH!_

_Suddenly Po and Su were yelling as they were showered in pieces of clay and brown dust._

_"_ _Whoah, what the heck?!" Po yelled, brushing dust from his fur._

_Su had turned pale and dropped the crossbow. "Aw man, I shot Clay Po in the face."_

_Po saw the statue and his stomach lurched. "Why the heck did you do that?!"_

_"_ _I didn't mean to!" Su started shaking. "I didn't know it was loaded..."_

_"_ _It wasn't supposed to be! Of all the crazy, stupid things to do-"_

_"_ _I'm sorry!" Su wailed._

_"_ _Not you, the idiot who put a loaded crossbow in the shipment!" Po quickly checked Su over, but she wasn't hurt._

_"_ _I wasn't even touching the trigger!"_

_"_ _Look at this flipping mess!" Po groaned and got to his feet. "Aw man, my dad's gonna kill me!"_

_"_ _Aw man, he's gonna kill me more!" Su dug her fingers into her scalp._

_"_ _Crap!" Po raced to the cart, removed the other two crates and pulled the cart over._

_"_ _What are you doing?" Su asked._

_"_ _One of the newest members of the Dragon Warrior fan club's a sculpting prodigy. He can fix the statue for us." Su's shoulders sagged as Po dragged the headless statue onto the cart and started looking for a blanket to cover it with. "If he's not at today's meeting, I don't know what the heck we're gonna do, because the local sculptor couldn't keep a secret if his life depended on it!"_

* * *

Po was more convinced that ever that Ember was totally nuts. Why, of all places, did she lead him here?

The reddish brown room was big and horrid. Completely out of place in a prison. There were three tables fitted with manacles covered in red stains. Shelves with bottles of funny smelling fluid. A square counter with creepy instruments. it was false hope to think that this was just a torture chamber.

 _Sutoraiki's laboratory, Po_ , Ember spoke into his ear, even though he was alone.  _Many a prisoner spent their last moments here, Sutoraiki's rambling the last sound they ever heard. Well go on, Po. Don't be shy._

Po gulped and climbed out of the hole, stepping onto the dull wooden floor. Ember didn't speak again, and he couldn't see anyone in the horrible room. For now he was alone.

Sutoraiki. Po knew him. The crazy hornet from Japan who shot poison darts from his butt, who had disappeared along with his equally crazy knife-throwing pal Izumi after Po and his friends foiled their plans. Now he knew what had happened to them. So if Sutoraiki was here, did that mean Izumi was here as well? That thought made Po pull out his frying pan. He hoped Ember or her shadow monster had gotten them. It wasn't a very nice hope, but after seeing this room he couldn't stop himself from thinking it.  _Many a prisoner had spent their last moments her_ e, Ember had told him.

"Oh, they are so gonna pay for this." Po spoke, his fear giving way to anger. Ready to slam his frying pan into the next jerk he saw, Po crossed the room to one of the two wooden doors. He found it locked, and after trying the other door was met with the same disappointment. Po braced himself and kicked the door. There was a loud bang, but it didn't give. After four more kicks and punches he gave up. Tigress could have brought that door down, but he wasn't Tigress.

Was this Ember's idea of a joke? To trap him here in this room of nightmares? No way, she gave him a clue to go to the Imperial City. Maybe there was a key in here somewhere.

Po started looking in the least sickening areas, such as counters and benches that were either empty or had ordinary, not so scary items. As he headed towards what he assumed to be a desk that was located roughly in between the two doors, the candles flickered. Po paused. He was sure he hadn't felt a breeze. He shook his head and started rummaging through the pile of scroll, opening none of them. He did not want to know what was written in them. Knowing more or less what this room was for was bad enough, never mind the details.

He didn't find what he needed on the desktop so he tried the cabinets. He dug his paw through the first cabinet on the right, found nothing but more creepy tools. In the second cabinet he struck gold. A ring of black keys was right on top of the pile of blank paper.

He heard what sounded like a soft breath and looked up.

On the plain stone ceiling, something was emerging from the black shadow he had failed to spot.

The arm came first, lean but muscular, bearing long claws. Black mist floated from the flesh.

Then came the head, with its night-black horns and long snout. The curved teeth flashed in the candlelight.

The torso came next, its back to the frozen panda. Dozens of black smoking tendrils on its back waved in the air like underwater weeds.

With an unsettling elegance it pulled itself free. It landed on the floor on all fours. Right on the other side of the desk.

At first Po did nothing but stare. He stared at the tentacles on its back. Then the monster's head started to turn. Po ducked down behind the desk. He was starting to sweat. He felt like a child hiding in the wardrobe.

Don't let it find him. Please don't let it find him. The scream of the warden rang in his ears.

There was a thud. The desk shook. Something struck Po's body. He nearly screamed. Scrolls fell past his face and clattered on the floor.

There was silence for a moment. Then footsteps, heading away from him. Po gripped the frying pan with both paws. He straightened and looked over the desktop.

The creature was going through the door on the left. Not breaking through. Moving through. Like a ghost. Po's courage waned for a second. He ducked down again.

When he peeked again, all that was left was a pure black shadow staining the door. Then that shrank and was gone, too.

Po didn't dare stand up just yet. He waited a minute... then two... the creature didn't return. He stood up, feeling nothing but helpless.

That was what attacked this place. That was what killed the warden. Po wanted to go home.

Not without Tigress, an angry voice in his head yelled at him. His quickened breath started to ease up. Tigress. Remember Tigress. After that, getting his body moving again wasn't so hard.

Po looked down at the keys in the open cabinet. He quickly picked them up.

He glanced at the door the creature had just gone through.

There was no way he was going through there.

As quietly as he could he went to the other door. Slowly, carefully, he picked out a key that looked different from the others. He slid it into the lock and twisted. Clink! Po winced and looked to the other door.

Nothing happened. It hadn't heard.

Po opened the door, quickly rushed through and shut the door behind him.

He was in a windowless, brightly lit corridor. The walls were painted blue and the floor was polished wood. A dark blue door stood at the far end. Po made his way through and opened the door.

Smack!

Something small and round struck him right between the eyes, knocking his head back. Po staggered, yelling in pain and surprise. Another voice gasped.

Po blinked and took in the room. It was a big, luxurious looking bedroom, with a nice framed bed, an elegantly carved table and a big set of drawers. What had Po's attention more than anything was the stunned young girl in the far corner, holding a spoon like a catapult.

Po couldn't believe his eyes. Su had just shot him in the face.


	9. All Hell

_Three weeks and three days before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_"_ _Su, you missed an ear."_

_"_ _I don't care about the ear."_

_"_ _You need to pick up the ear."_

_"_ _I said I don't care about the ear."_

_"_ _The ear."_

_"_ _Forget about the ear."_

_"_ _Su, the ear."  
"I'm not picking up the stupid ear."_

_"_ _The ear."_

_"_ _Shut up about the ear."_

_"_ _Su, I know you're mad about being forced to join the Dragon Warrior Fan Club, but it was the only way we would get the statue fixed before dad found out."_

_Su slammed the bucket full of clay pieces on the table, barely missing Po's paw. There were still dozens of little orange bits scattered around the area in between the tables and the kitchen. "Yeah, I'm mad. Not just because I'm now stuck as an informant for a gang of juvenile blackmailers, but also because I got myself into this mess by blowing your stupid orange head off. And now to add insult to injury, I'm stuck picking up little bits of clay skull while you're lounging around five feet away like a flippin' potato!" Po looked down at the bowl of dumplings in his paws and thought Su was maybe onto something. Su was pink in the face now as she picked up a couple more pieces and tossed them into the bucket. "Don't you think I've got enough on my plate between the nightmares and the voices in my head telling me there's someone out there who deserves to burn in the flaming pits of hell? You know what, what the heck am I doing cleaning up the mess?! You're the fanboy doofus who gave me a loaded crossbow! I'm finishing those dumplings and you're picking up this dummy's brain!"_

_With that, Su shoved the bucket into Po's arms, snatched the bowl of dumplings, and stormed off upstairs._

_Before Po could even begin to wonder what the heck had just happened, someone else spoke. "What on earth was that all about?"_

_Po turned in his seat. Tigress, Viper and Crane were standing in the archway. Tigress was wearing her long sleeved green vest today. Po pinched the bridge of his nose. "How much of that did you hear?"_

_Tigress glanced at the flawlessly repaired statue standing in the corner. "Just the part about you picking up some dummy's brain. Speaking of which, why are there little bits of clay all over the floor?"_

_One part of Po wanted to be honest with Tigress. The other reminded him that doing so would get Su in big trouble, and the only reason she would be in big trouble was because he had given her the offending crossbow. Besides, he would be in trouble no matter which story he told._

_"_ _I was checking out the new weapons Shifu wanted me to pick up, and I kinda blew that statue's head off." Tigress smiled, and Viper and Crane started laughing. "The only way we could get it fixed before dad found out was if Su joined the Dragon Warrior Fan Club. She's pretty ticked."_

_"_ _I imagine she would be." Viper said. "Do you want some help cleaning up?"_

_"_ _Nah, I've already been called a couch potato once today." Po got up and started picking up the remaining clay bits. "But you could check on the stove. I'm getting the noodles ready for when my dad gets back."_

_"_ _Oh, I spoke to him while I was on a flight." Crane said. "He's going to be back a lot later than he thought he would, and it turns out radishes aren't the only things he's needing. He told me to tell you not to bother opening the shop today... as much as he hates to say it."_

_Po looked at the big pot of noodles on the stove and sighed. Even he couldn't eat all that. "Great. Noodles?"_

_Tigress waved a paw. "No thank you, we really need to get the shipment to the palace before Shifu-"_

_"_ _Thanks, Po. I'm famished." Viper said. She sat down at the table opposite Po._

_"_ _Me, too." Crane added as he sat down beside her._

_It was a moment before Tigress joined them, taking the only remaining seat next to Po. "I'll serve up." Po slowly stood up and went into the kitchen. As he pulled four bowls from a cupboard he listened for any conversation from the table. He wasn't disappointed._

_"_ _We shouldn't really keep Master Shifu waiting." Tigress said._

_"_ _It won't hurt him to wait half an hour, Tigress." Viper spoke a little quieter than Tigress, as if she didn't want Po to overhear. The panda dipped a ladle into the pot and filled the first bowl. "Besides, you still owe Po big time."_

_Tigress was silent as Po filled the second bowl. Po kept his gaze on the pot, trying not to look at them. "We've already set a date." Tigress said._

_"_ _Yeah, weeks from now." Viper said, a hard edge to her voice now. "I know you're nervous, but it's not fair to make him wait and you know it."_

_As Po filled the last two bowls he heard Tigress breathe in and out._

_"_ _Tigress, we'll be right here to show you how it's done." Viper spoke._

_"_ _I don't know." Tigress said._

_"_ _Hey, we can't be any worse than Monkey and Mantis when Po went on that date with Ming." Crane said with a short laugh. "Should we tell him they were giving him that bad advice for a laugh?"_

_"_ _Those jerks!" Po nearly yelled, but he was too relieved to know Tigress was just as scared as he was. Instead he carried the four bowls outside and slid them onto the table._

_"_ _I'm sorry I haven't brought the shipment yet." Po sat back down next to Tigress. "As I already explained, me and Su got distracted."_

_"_ _Su's here?" Viper said. "Oh yes, you said something about her joining a fan club."_

_"_ _She's upstairs if you want to see her." Po dug in with his chopsticks and took his first mouthful. "Just don't mention the fan club. Like I said, she's pretty ticked."_

_"_ _We should probably leave her alone, then." Tigress said. "Let's talk about something else. Viper, that choker is magnificent." Po saw the amethyst choker, the one Crane had given her, around Viper's 'neck' and felt silly for not noticing it earlier._

_"_ _Thanks." Viper said with a smile. "I really love your vest. It was a birthday gift, wasn't it?"_

_"_ _Yes, from Po." Tigress touched the shiny green fabric lightly. "I imagine it must be the finest silk in the province."_

_"_ _Only the best for you, Tigress." Po propped his head on his arm. "Only the best for the best."_

_The tiny smile on Tigress's face was more than he could have hoped for. She turned her upper body to look at the statue. "I think that statue really captures your 'awesomeness', don't you think so? The pose, the proportions, that cheeky grin, if it weren't for the orange I'd think it was the real you."_

_"_ _Yeah, that kid did a great job of fixing it." Po said. "I'm glad you like it, Tigress."_

_"_ _Is no-one going to compliment me?" Crane asked with mild indignation._

_"_ _Your hat is wonderful, dear." Viper replied. "Anyway, it's wonderful to see you two so much closer than you were three years ago."_

_Po's paw slowly slid over Tigress's, touching the fingers and not the entire paw. Tigress looked down at their paws and then into Po's eyes. "Yes." She said. "It is."_

_Crane snickered suddenly. "I remember this one time when Po was doing his Tigress impersonations. Every single one of her expressions was this." He narrowed his eyes, set his jaw and growled. Tigress proceeded to make that exact same expression. Po didn't know whether or not to be embarrassed. "When Tigress caught him, she looked just like Master Shifu when Po broke the- Master Shifu!'_

_The red panda had just materialised in the archway._

_Oh holy crap on a rice cracker, Po thought as he remembered not telling Shifu about his and Tigress's plans._

_"_ _There you are!" Shifu was glaring right at Po. "You were supposed to bring the shipment to the palace hours ago!" He strode into the restaurant, then stopped dead. "What exactly is going on here?"_

_Po felt like a dead man. Two pairs at a table eating dinner. Crane and Viper, a well known couple, and Po and Tigress, the subject of hot gossip amongst the girls. The whole scene practically screamed 'double date'._

_"_ _What? Cat got your tongue?" Shifu demanded. "It'll be a red panda getting your tongue if you don't start talking this instant! And what is that mess on the floor?"_

_Po opened his mouth. He didn't know what to say. Even Viper and Tigress looked speechless. Crane on the other hand... "Sorry, Master. We're just taking a break from cleaning."_

_"_ _Cleaning?"_

_"_ _Yeah. You see, Mr. Ping brought a new Po into the shop to bring in more customers and, well, the old Po shot him."_

_Shifu blinked a couple of times. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Then he shook his head. "You know what, forget it. I don't want to know. Just finish your meals and get those crates to the palace."_

_When he was gone, Po slumped over the table. Tigress let out the breath she had been holding. As for Viper, she was beaming. "I love you, Crane." And she planted a great big kiss on his forehead._

* * *

Po rubbed his forehead, astounded. "Su?!"

Su lowered her improvised catapult. "Po?"

She stood up, and Po saw that just like himself their abductors had also given Su an unusual change in wardrobe. In place of the vest and pants all kung fu students wore, Su was now wearing tight black pants and boots, a black dress with the skirt cut at the knees, and a short, vivid red coat. Po stared at her. "Why the heck are you here in this place?!"

Su stared back. "Why the heck are you dressed like a ninja?"

Po rushed forward and grabbed her in a huge bear hug. This was the best surprise he'd had since waking up in that cell. Weird clothes aside, she looked okay.

He heard a faint rumble coming from the open door. His joy faded as he remembered what was out there. He put Su down and grabbed her paw. "Come on, we've gotta get outta here."

"Wait, Po!" Su said. "Where are we?"

"No idea. Come on, and keep quiet." Po didn't know when he should tell her about Ember and the monster. Maybe once they're out of the evil laboratory of death.

He took her out the room. "Su, why are you here?" He asked again as they moved down the corridor. Su's explanation was justifiably brief. The day of the invasion, she'd been to one of the dreaded fan club meetings. Strangely she'd blacked out soon after arriving, and the next thing she knew she was in this prison. Originally she'd been held in one of the cells, but for some reason they'd moved her into that room after only four days.

They reached the end of the corridor and Po had to stop her there. "You can tell me the rest once we're out of here."

They crossed the creepy lab and Po put his ear against the opposite door. At first he heard nothing.

Click!

He flinched when he heard the sound of the door unlocking. He pushed Su behind him and stepped back. The door creaked open. Viper pulled her tail out the keyhole on the other side and gaped at the two pandas.

"Po? Su?!"

"Viper!" Su beamed.

"Oh my gosh, thank gods you're alright!" Viper slithered right past Po and embraced Su in her coils.

"Uh, Viper?"

"Oh, wait your turn, Po!" Viper scolded.

"I'm asking, are you a prisoner, too?"

"No, I snuck in here with Master Boar to rescue you and Tigress." Viper released Su and hugged Po next. "Where is she?"

Po's shoulders sank beneath her coils. "She's not here. I think she's being held in the Imperial City."

Viper leaned her head away from Po and stared at him. "Po, that's where the rest of us went. Something bad is happening there."

"Then we'd better get out of this place." Po said. "How did you get in here?"

Viper lowered herself back to the floor. "We got in through the catacombs, but the way back there is blocked. I'm the only one who can get through there."

"Great." Po muttered.

"But if we go back to the blocked passage, I can go back through, find Boar and tell him I found you. Then we can find a way to get you two out."

"Viper, we've got bigger problems than just getting out of here." Po leaned down. "Ember's here. I think she's at least partly behind what happened. And there's something else. A really freaky smoky creature that comes out of-"

"Po, what? A creature?"

"This creature came right out of a shadow and killed a guy right in front of me." Po said. "It's super dangerous."

"Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse." Viper hissed. She gently nudged Su to get her moving with her tail. "Let's go, sweetie. Don't make a sound."

No-one talked as they crept through the door and into a sandy yellow hall with four doors. Po locked eyes with Viper, waiting for her to tell them which way to go. Viper pointed to the door on the left.

The door led to a set of stairs in a grey shaft. Viper led them down, all the way to the bottom floor. A little ways down the single corridor was blocked with the pile of debris Po had been obstructed by before.

"Wait here." Viper made her way up the pile towards a small gap between the rocks. Just as she reached the hole, she stopped dead.

"Boar!" She whispered.

"Flower girl!" Boar replied from the other side. Po could barely hear what he was saying. "Flower girl, we've got a problem!"

"I know. Po warned me about Ember and the creature." Viper said.

"What? Ember's here?"

Viper glanced at Po with worry etched into her face, then turned back to the hole. "Yes. She's here. There's also this creature running around, Po told me it comes out of shadows. It killed a man, and most likely did the same to everyone else."

Boar didn't reply right away. "Goddamn it. That wasn't what I was talking about. Over two hundred soldiers have just broken and are scouring the place right now."

"Perfect." Su said. Po couldn't have put it any better.

"By the way..." Boar went on. "I found some prisoners in another cell block. Three pandas. One of them calls himself Qiang and claims to be the Dragon Warrior's father."

"Dad!" Po yelled. "Don't tell me those jerks got him, too!"

Now he was really looking forward to pummeling the scum who owned this place.  
"Is that who I think it is?" Boar asked.

"Yes, we found Po and Su. Tigress is apparently being held somewhere in the Imperial City." Viper replied.

"Finally something good comes out of this mess. Look, we're never going to clear this debris in time." Boar said. "I'll go get those prisoners to safety. You're going to have to find another way." There was another rumbling sound, this one closer. "I have to go. Be careful."

Once Boar presumably left, Viper slithered down from the pile. "You heard him. Hurry, up the stairs."

"Aw man!" Po looked up the stairs they had recently descended. There must be dozens of floors. His old enemy, back for another round.

"Oh man up, Po!" Viper snapped. "If we don't hurry, they find us!"

_I'm afraid that is out of the question_ , Po heard Ember say.

Out of nowhere the room became unbearably hot. The air gained a scarlet tint. Su moaned and pressed her paws against her head.

"Oh no." Po whispered.

Less than a second later, all hell broke loose.

It was like a giant hand had grabbed the building and started shaking it like a jar of cookies. The floor jerked beneath their feet, sending Po and Su to the floor.

"What the heck was that?!" Viper gasped as she went to help Su up.

Wincing from the throbbing pain in his elbows, Po got back up. "We've got to go. Now!"

The room shook again. Rocks and dust tumbled from the pile of debris. The lanterns swung wildly from the ceiling, two breaking away and crashing to the floor.

"Up the stairs! Now!" Viper yelled.

"What about my dad?"

"Let Boar take care of it, now go!" Po lifted Su over his shoulder and started up the stairs, Viper not far behind. By the third floor the shaking was violent and persistent, and pieces of wall and ceiling were crumbling away. All the while, Su was curling up in pain on his shoulder.

A chunk the size of a skull shattered on a step a foot before Po. "Oh crap! Oh crap!"

Viper furiously smacked the back of his head, forcing him onward. His legs were burning at the tenth floor. They received a moment's relief when the worst quake yet knocked Po to the floor. Su fell from his grasp and rolled away. As Po's eyes followed her, they could something even scarier. A bright red substance crept from a crack in the wall. The heat became worse. Po realised with a lurching of his stomach that he was looking at lava. Like thick liquid fingers, tendrils of lava gripped the edges of the crack and forced them apart with tremendous noise. Daylight burst through and hurt Po's eyes.

"Oh god!" Viper shrieked behind him. "She's tearing the building apart!"

Adrenaline rushing, Po retrieved Su and continued up the stairs, the fire in his legs no longer a concern. Five floors up, there were massive holes in the walls, some ringed with white-hot lava. Three more floors, they passed a burning door. Near the next floor, the stairs crumbled away behind them. Another six floors later, they were at the top. Po put Su down and kicked the heavy wooden door to pieces.

They had reached the roof at the very top of the prison. The wind was fierce, but did nothing to quell the heat. Po dragged Su and Viper outside and they raced across to the nearest battlements. He saw the side of the mountain, devoid of trees, going thousands of feet down into the distance.

Po spun to face Viper. "Now what?!"

Before Viper could answer, the roof broke apart like a plate.

Po's stomach shot upwards as the piece of roof they were standing on plummeted. Fire and rock shot past them in a blur. Beside him, Viper let out a sharp scream. He reached out and grabbed Su's arm.

Their piece of roof hit a lower floor, knocking Po once more off his feet, tilted, and slid straight out of a lava ringed hole in the outer wall. With a bone shattering crash it hit the mountainside. Just when Po thought things couldn't get any worse, they started sliding.

Viper screamed for them to hold on as they slid faster and faster, tearing a wide ragged gash in the mountainside. Dirt and rock showered them relentlessly. Po couldn't hear anything but the sound of things breaking apart.

They hit a rock and Po was flying for a single moment. He spun in midair and fell back onto the piece of roof. Now on his front and facing behind them, Po saw the burning prison above breaking apart into three separate pieces. The thought of his birth father, those two parents he suspected were Su's missing parents, and Boar being in there made him want to scream, but then Su beat him to it.

"Po, look out!" Viper cried.

Po turned on his back and let out a bad word.

Of course there would be a cliff.

A cliff with a big thin rock that they were heading right for.

"Po!" Viper wrapped herself around Su. Her tail reached for Po's paw.

Then they hit rock, their impromptu sled breaking in two pieces that went right over the cliff.

Clinging to the battlement on his half, Po saw nothing but forest below them. This time he screamed for the entire world to hear. He caught a glimpse of Viper and Su on their half of the rooftop, flying like a skipping stone to the right.

He thought of his birth dad, then his adoptive dad. Then Tigress.

Then came the trees.

 


	10. Amethyst

_Two weeks before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_Lady Hei Nuwang wasn't a narcissist like many of her underlings believed._

_True she always cleaned up, wore expensive dresses and checked herself in the ornamental silver mirror before every meeting. There was a reason for that, however. Her refined appearance served as a reminder that she was a noble. She was greater than them. She was the one in charge._

_Today she was dressed all in black, with purple trimming separating cloth from fur. Her purple eyes took in the ornate circular room where all the important meetings took place. The round amethyst stone table had been personally constructed to seat twenty people, but today there were only five, including herself. To the right was Izumi, Japanese Bobtail cat, former second in command of the Brotherhood of Bloodstained Hands, now the new second in command of their army. She was quite a looker herself, at least on one half of her face. Amethyst had enquired about the scars on the other half the one time she was actually interested. All Izumi said was that the no-legger with lilies on her head did this to her, and she would never forget it. Hei Nuwang could relate. In fact, she was quite fond of the bobtail. Her psychosis often displayed a savagery she once shared._

_Right across from Hei Nuwang was the first in command, recently appointed General Long Feng, a rhino with an impressively long horn and equally impressive muscles to match. His one arm drummed its fingers on the table, but quickly stopped when he caught her expression. He was obstinate, merciless, and dangerous, but not stupid. Hei Nuwang liked him better than that feathered cockroach, Tujiu._

_The third attendee was the result of one of Sutoraiki's more successful experiments. The masked man sat in utter silence, but Hei Nuwang knew he wasn't really mute. He rarely spoke these days, unless he was spoken to. He was an intimating entity to everyone else, but for her, he was perfect. A happy reminder that her instincts on Sutoraiki's alchemic skills had been correct._

_The fourth stood guard at the door. She was different than the others in that she was a good girl gone bad. Mei Ling had been the star of the same kung fu academy Master Crane had studied at before becoming a student at the Jade Palace. They had been old friends, but not since Mei Ling joined the Children of Nuwa. Or so she claimed._

_Hei Nuwang stood up, her signal that the meeting was about to begin. The eyes of the attendees followed her, partly respectful, partly intimidated. Of course they were, Hei Nuwang thought with a smile like a curved dagger. They'd all seen her gift._

_Speaking of which, it was time for another demonstration._

_"_ _Fellow members of the Children of Nuwa, the opportunity to settle old scores has finally come." Hei Nuwang turned to the plain black wall behind her. She put her left paw up against the cold stone. Amethyst veins grew from beneath her paw like crystal vines, spreading over the wall until they were all gazing at a perfect map of the Valley of Peace. With a finger she directed their attention to the Jade Palace at the top. "As you all know, the Jade Palace masters have interfered with our operations twice so far. First they prevented us from acquiring the medallion from the Temple of Heroes. Then they delayed our efforts to capture Ember until it was too late. Now we are about to move on the Imperial City, and no doubt the masters will interfere again. And of course, we can't have that, can we?" Her sharp ears caught the tiniest of laughs from the masked man. "General, I trust you're coming up with a strategy as we speak?"_

_"_ _Of course, my lady." Long Feng leaned back in his chair and intertwined his fingers. "After reviewing the masters' track record, I highly recommend that we use stealth tactics. I will assemble a small team. They'll infiltrate the palace in the dead of night..."_

_"_ _Forget stealth. I have a better idea!" Hei Nuwang leaned over the table. "Izumi, when your old boss Chibiki invaded the Jade Palace, he used an army of bandits to create a distraction while he went after the prize. Isn't that right?" Izumi nodded. "I suggest we use a similar tactic. General, I will leave you to work out the details."_

_Long Feng's thick grey brow furrowed. "My lady, are you sure? The Jade Palace masters have faced far worse than the likes of a small army."_

_Hei Nuwang planted her paws on the amethyst table. She let her malice show through her purple eyes, which glittered like her pearly white fangs. "They haven't faced anything yet."_

_She straightened up, pleased at the slightly shrunken shoulders and wide eyes of the attendees. The masked man, on the other hand, barely looked fazed._

_"_ _Does that mean you're coming as well?" Izumi asked after a long silence._

_"_ _Of course." Hei Nuwang almost felt sorry for what she said next. "But you on the other hand, aren't."_

_Outrage flashed across Izumi's half-scarred features. She leapt up from her seat. "Wha-" She took a deep breath, presumably to keep from screaming. "But my lady, why?"_

_Hei Nuwang sat back down and leaned her head back in exasperation that wasn't directed at the bobtail. "Because the general has an errand that needs to be run, and I need him to lead the assault on the Jade Palace. Izumi, dispatch some men to retrieve Colonel Sao from the Imperial City." The bobtail slowly sat back down. It seemed Izumi respected her enough to not protest any further. Good. "Remember, it is of great important that we take the masters alive if we can. Though the monks did their work, we might still be able to extract some small traces of Ember's chi that they missed. We need that chi if we want to keep track of Ember's movements." This was only part of the reason, but there was no need to mention that to these people. "It will make things much easier in the long-"_

_She stopped speaking, for the masked man had just raised his hand._

_"_ _Lady Hei Nuwang, forgive me for interrupting." He said, not sounding sorry at all. "I'm just curious. Why do you hate Ember so?"_

_Hei Nuwang wondered how he guessed. Perhaps it was the way she said Ember's name. She looked the masked man right in his eyeholes. "You would probably understand, but it's a long story." The masked man fell silent once again. Hei Nuwang waved her paw and the amethyst map crumbled away. "This meeting is adjourned."_

_Soon after she stepped through a thick wooden door into Sutoraiki's personal quarters. This second meeting did not take as long as the first. When Hei Nuwang informed Sutoraiki that he was to travel to the prison and complete his work there after the invasion, the hornet accepted the order with grace._

_"_ _I will begin packing once the work is complete." He said. "Speaking of which, it is progressing fantastically. Would you like to see?"_

_"_ _Of course."_

_Sutoraiki led her to another door, one with three identical locks. With a ring of keys he unlocked them all and let Hei Nuwang push the door open. She giggled at what she saw. "So, what do you think?" He asked._

_"_ _Fantastic. Utterly fantastic."_

* * *

Mantis had a bad feeling, and it wasn't just the bad bean buns he had that morning.

When they heard of trouble brewing at the Imperial City, they'd expected to walk into a warzone. Soldiers clashing in the streets. Innocent citizens trying to stay the heck out of the way. Devastation everywhere.

When they passed through the gates leading into the city, all they found was a warzone. Empty streets. No sign of life in any of the buildings. Devastation everywhere.

Nearly all the doors they saw had been torn apart. Windows were smashed to pieces. Some buildings had massive singed holes in the walls, others obliterated completely. There were holes bigger than Po's belly littering the pavement. Mantis had seen this level of devastation only once before, back when he had been fighting for his life in the Tower of Sacred Flame. If the cult, the so called Children of Nuwa, had indeed gotten their hands on cannons, Mantis dreaded to think what this would mean for China. Or what it meant for Emperor Xian and his family.

They were fine. They had to be.

Everyone was surely thinking the same thing, but it was Monkey who spoke first. "Where the heck is everyone?" Today he was carrying a familiar pair of Dao swords.

Perched on Monkey's shoulders, Mantis could only shrug. "Weird, huh?"

Crane tilted back the sharp metal-rimmed hat Princess Haoxin De Nushi had given him as he surveyed the ruined streets. "Maybe the battle's moved inward. Towards the palace." Mantis noticed that he hadn't mentioned that it didn't explain where the citizens went.

Monkey pulled out the map Ox and Croc had given them. He unrolled it and read in silence for a moment. His eyes narrowed and he traced a path through the sketched streets with a finger. "The quickest route to the palace goes right past the HQ. Lucky us."

"We can pop in and find Mei Ling." Mantis said. "But what about the Emperor?"

"He's surrounded by the best guards in the country, and he's got Master Eagle. Jr. by his side." Crane said. "He's a pretty good fighter himself. He'll be okay."

Crane was worried about Mei Ling. Mantis could see it in his slightly widened eyes and slanted brows. His expression hadn't changed once since they'd reached the city. Now that Mantis was thinking about her, didn't Mei Ling have a kid? "Hey, she's going to be okay." The bug said. "We'll go check on her first if you want."

Looking grateful, Crane nodded.

Monkey rolled up the map. "We'd best keep our eyes and ears open. Just in case we're not really alone."

Mantis hadn't expected it to be that simple. All in all, their plan was to stroll through the seemingly empty streets of the city, stop by the HQ to find Mei Ling and the information she'd discovered, then continue on to the palace to rescue the royal family. Then again it always seemed simple at first. It was decided soon after they started their trek that they would stick to the alleys as much as they could. The big streets weren't safe, even though they were empty, for there was still a chance that they could be spotted. It was for that same reason that instead of flying, Crane walked vigilantly alongside them.

In less than an hour they reached their first obstacle; a tall narrow building had been knocked clean off its foundations by cannon fire and was now leaning haphazardly against another building. Part of the wall had fallen away, forming a pile of rubble that blocked their exit out of the alley.

Monkey made a noise of impatience and pulled out a coin. "Okay, let's toss. Heads, we go through it, tails, we go over it."

Crane's expression was deadpan. "Really?"

Monkey ignored him. The coin flipped three times in the air then fell back into his hand. The result was tails.

The leaning building looked incredibly unsafe, so they chose to climb the shorter building supporting it. Mantis kept a tight grip on the fur of Monkey's shoulder as he scaled up the outer wall, using the windowsills as handholds. Crane flew up alongside them and reached the roof first. When Monkey and Mantis made it, they saw a sight for sore eyes.

In the centre of a paved square right below them was a massive three storey building with brown walls, a green curved roof and a large burned hole where a window would have been. Monkey pulled out the map and read it once more. He grinned. "That's it. Our first stop."

"And there's our second." Mantis pointed to the royal palace in the distance. To an extent it resembled the Jade Palace, but was ruby red instead of green, and ten times wider.

"Oh crap." Crane said.

"Yeah, yeah. It's a long walk, I know." Mantis said with a roll of his eyes.

"Not oh crap that!" Crane pointed. "Oh crap them!"

Monkey and Mantis looked. On the flat roof of a grey stone building near the other side of the square, so far away that neither of them had known they were there until Crane pointed them out, were four or five black armoured soldiers and a big black cannon.

Uh oh.

They heard the distant poof as it fired.

"Run for it!" Crane shoved them forward and took flight. Mantis held on tight as Monkey leapt from the roof and onto the next building. They felt the explosion behind them before they heard it, a burning hot blast of air that nearly knocked them on their faces. Almost instantly they heard the cannon fire again. "Great! More of them!" Crane yelled. "Head for the HQ, and I'll take out as many as I can!"

He flew off. Breathless, Monkey rushed to the edge and leapt at the next rooftop, even as the next cannonball punched a hole in the tiles they had just been standing on. "Keep moving!" Mantis hollered.

"Right in the ear, pal!" Monkey hollered back as another cannonball whistled over their heads in a blaze of crimson sparks. Another tore apart the building behind them as he ran.

"Sorry!"

Each rooftop they crossed circled the square, bringing them closer to the HQ yet at the same time getting them nowhere. Now they were hearing a cannon firing every three seconds, an explosion following each one. Eventually Mantis's ears started ringing. Monkey leapt onto the roof of a wide building, just as another cannonball ripped a gaping, smoking hole in the tiles ahead of them. Without hesitating, Monkey leapt over the burning pit and made for the building on the other side; a ten storey tall pagoda that stood right across from the HQ. He leapt onto the side, grabbed the windowsill and pulled himself inside.

They found themselves on the fourth floor of a multi storey hall much like the interior of the Tower of Sacred Flame. Before Mantis could begin to make comparisons, the opposite wall disintegrated in a shower of wood and sparks. Not this again, Mantis thought. Then the all too familiar situation gave him an idea. "Monkey, head to the top!"

"What?"

"Remember what happened last time?"

"Wha- ah! Good idea! Even though you stole it from Tigress!"

"Just shut up and climb!"

The stairs weren't far from where they'd climbed in, and Monkey quickly started making his way upwards. By the time they reached the top the relentless cannons had blown several holes in the pagoda. A fire had started on one of the lower floors. Monkey's fur was blackened from soot, and one glance at his own body told Mantis that he wasn't any better.

The room at the top was a complete mess. The wooden furniture had been completely destroyed. Splintered wood and small fires were everywhere. A third of the wall and ceiling was gone, and they had a clear view of the square and the five of six cannons trying to kill them. They saw no sign of Crane.

Another cannonball struck them and the entire building shook. Down below there was a tremendous cracking sound, and the pagoda crashed down by one floor. The violent jolt knocked Mantis from Monkey's shoulder and he hit the floor back first. Stupefied from the impact, Mantis could only stare up at the big hole where part of the wall and ceiling should be. In swooped a dishevelled bird he recognised.

"I managed... to take out two of the cannons!" Crane was panting. "But there's too many! We've got to get out of here."

Right then, the pagoda began to tilt.

Mantis quickly regained his sense and stood up, his four legs helping him keep balance on the rapidly steepening floor. Wood and flames slid past him, tumbling from the big hole. That was when Mantis realised that they were tilting towards the HQ. In particular the big hole in the side.

Lucky them.

When the pagoda was nearly horizontal and Mantis and Monkey were sliding towards the opening, the bug saw their chance. "Jump now!" he yelled.

They pushed away from the floor. Crane glided beside them. They soared through one hole and into the other, reaching the third floor of the HQ and sliding across the floor. Behind them the pagoda hit the ground and was reduced to burning timber.

As the three warriors leaned against the wall farthest from the hole, Mantis laughed softly. "Smashing."

Monkey laughed with him. Crane rolled his eyes. "The cannon fire has stopped. They must think we were in there. Let's try and keep it that way." He got up and was the first to notice the open door leading deeper into the HQ. "Come on. An old friend is waiting."


	11. Mei Ling

_Four days before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_Tigress couldn't remember the last time she'd sparred on the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom, and with Crane no less. On the other hand, she remembered how entertaining it was. Having to land a blow that Crane's wings didn't deflect while balancing on a swaying jade bowl at the same time was one of the few training sessions she could really call a challenge. More than anything it was because Crane had the advantage of flight. If he ever lost balance all he had to do was flap his wings and hover in the air until he could touch down again. Tigress didn't have that luxury, but she was okay with that. Her acrobatics more than made up for it, as they did now as she grabbed the rim of the bowl with both paws and pushed off, breaking through Crane's defence and striking him right in the chest. The winded bird hit the floorboards with a bang at Shifu's feet. "Booyeah!" On the side line, Po pumped his fist in the air._

_"_ _Excellent work, Tigress." Shifu said. "Crane, would you kindly tell me where you went wrong?" Crane was too winded to speak. "Alright. Tigress?"_

_Tigress leapt off the bowl. "He relied too much on hovering in the air whenever he lost balance. It gave me an opening."_

_"_ _Correct." Shifu jabbed Crane with his staff to get him up faster then turned to the other students lined up against the wall. "It is unwise to rely on one technique, for eventually someone will notice and use it against you. No technique is truly invincible. Great Master Viper learned that the hard way. No offense, Viper."_

_"_ _None taken." Viper said._

_"_ _Po, Monkey, you're up." Shifu said. As Monkey pushed Po onto the bowl with extreme difficulty and much grumbling, Tigress and Crane took their places by the wall. Tigress could tell at once that Mantis was still miffed about the criticism Shifu had given him concerning the use of pressure points. Right now, however, she was more concerned about the dark circles under Viper's bright eyes._

_"_ _Bad night, huh?" Tigress asked._

_"_ _Bad dream." Viper merely said. There were yells and thuds as Po and Monkey got started._

_"_ _Wanna talk?"_

_"_ _Not really."_

_Tigress turned her attention back to the sparring match. Monkey had just wrapped his tail around Po's wrist, only for the panda to grab hold and yank him into the bowl. Monkey had the mother of all death glares when he climbed out and resumed the fight._

_"_ _Crane..." Viper spoke. "When Ember messed with your mind, what did it feel like?"_

_Crane looked around Tigress's body to look at her. "I haven't been able to remember what it was like since those monks drained the leftovers of Ember's chi out of me. Why?"_

_Viper looked up at Tigress, and seemed to come to a decision. "I caught Su sleepwalking last night."_

_On Viper's other side, Mantis's antennae twitched. "You what?"_

_"_ _Nothing serious happened this time, thank goodness." Viper said. "After I woke up from my nightmare I heard her walking about in her room, but the candle was out. She was standing in a corner staring at the wall when I found her. I went to wake her up and-" She stopped, staring at the floor with a haunted look in her eyes. "She spun round with look of pure... pure hatred in her eyes, and said, 'don't touch me, you hateful witch!'"_

_The shocking words seemed to punch Tigress right through the chest. "Viper, I highly doubt she meant you."_

_"_ _I know that." Viper shook. "But that's the problem. Right after that, she shook her head a little and went right back to normal. I don't think she remembers what she said."_

_"_ _Holy crap." Mantis muttered. On the jade bowl, Monkey aimed low and hit Po in the thigh, nearly knocking the panda off. "Have you told Master Shifu?"_

_"_ _Yes. He said he was taking care of it."_

_"_ _Really?" Mantis asked irritably. "Because right now it looks to me like he's too busy pointing out all the ways we suck."_

_Tigress didn't bother scolding him, for Shifu had just turned round. "I can hear you, you know. And I've told you before about avoiding the facial nerves."_

_Mantis winced. "Sorry."_

_"_ _In case you're wondering how I'm taking care of it, I have already sent Zeng to inform the monks of the situation. Maybe they know what in the world is going on with her. And until Zeng returns, all we can do is continue as normal. Understand?"_

_They all nodded quickly. Shifu turned back round, just in time for Po to deal the finishing belly blow and send Monkey flying into the wooden warriors. Much flailing of timber limbs ensued. Everyone was laughing expect the luckless primate and Crane, who spoke to himself so softly that only Tigress heard him. "Mei Ling, what have you gotten yourself into?"_

* * *

Mantis hadn't felt this outraged since Po called him a little guy. "What do you mean you knew about Mei Ling's mission before the rest of us?!"

Crane winced as Mantis yelled at the top of his lungs, while Monkey smacked the bug's head with his tail. "Keep your voice down!"

"Sorry." Mantis said softly, then whispered furiously to Crane, "What do you mean you knew about Mei Ling's mission before the rest of us?"

"She told me the last time she came to visit." Crane said. "She didn't say what she was doing, only that the mission was top secret, and if anything happened to her I would look after her son."

"And you were sworn to secrecy." Monkey said. "That's fair enough. But how did you figure out that Mei Ling's mission had something to do with the Children of Nuwa?"

"Not long after Mei Ling disappeared, we found out that the Emperor and the other high officials knew about the organisation's existence. After that, it wasn't hard to connect the dots. No more talking. I don't think we're alone."

The corridors of the HQ were ominously dark and silent. Most of the lights were unlit, and what little they could see of their surroundings was a mess. There were gouges in the walls and floorboards, and some blood here and there. People had been battling here very recently. There must have been fatalities. There always were in war. So where were the bodies?

Mantis was getting tired of being carried around on Monkey's shoulder, but he didn't want to risk getting separated if he jumped off. He definitely didn't want to get lost in this place. He hated dark places like this. The darkness could be hiding anything from a dead body to an eyeless demon with claws that could rip flesh like paper. So he swallowed his pride and stayed put.

Every open door they passed led only into darkness. Each time, Crane poked his head into the room, holding the little lantern out in front of him. Most rooms were relatively tidy. Others were just as trashed as the corridors. All were empty.

"Crane, you're Mei Lings BFF." Monkey said. "Any ideas where she would be hiding?"

"Probably somewhere where she could easily defend herself. Somewhere like an..." Crane turned towards an open set of reinforced doors. He stuck the lantern inside, illuminating shelves stocked with weapons. "... armoury."

Mantis shrugged. "Wouldn't hurt to check it out. Crane, keep an eye out."

With Mantis still on his shoulder, Monkey crept past Crane into the room. The armoury was like a maze, with dozens of shelves and no walls. There were weapons of all kinds here. Axes, morning stars, spears, swords, crossbows, and a splintered bamboo staff thrusting out the darkness and nearly jabbing Monkey between the eyes.

Mantis had figured from the start that finding Mei Ling would be harder than it sounds, and that the frantic sprint across the rooftops would only be the start of their ordeal. Now he stood corrected.

Mei Ling was slumped in a corner of the armoury between two shelves stocked with swords. She held the staff up for five whole seconds before she realised who she was pointing it at.

"Monkey? Master Mantis?"

"Hey, why does the bug get to be the master?" Monkey complained with a growing smile on his face. "Crane! She's here!"

Crane was there in a flash. He shoved his way past Monkey and crouched down beside Mei Ling. She looked like she'd been through the wars. Her fur was a mess and she was bleeding from a gash in her thigh. Yet Mei Ling was grinning from ear to ear as she embraced the bird. "Crane. I knew you get my message."

Crane glanced at her injury. "Mei Ling, what happened here? Where is everyone?"

Monkey turned his head so he was facing Mantis. "Buddy, dig into the pack and find something for that cut." Mantis swiftly climbed into the pack Monkey was carrying and started searching through the supplies. He could hear Mei Ling speaking as he searched for the medical box.

"I was ordered to take a battalion to capture the HQ. There was no way I could refuse without arousing their suspicion, so I opted to try and take as many prisoners as I could. But the mission went wrong the moment we broke inside."

"The paint brush pushers were tougher than they looked, huh?" Mantis chuckled as he found the box and pulled it out the bag. Monkey took the box and knelt down on Mei Ling's other side.

Mei Ling didn't so much as smile. "Worse than that, Mantis. Something's very, very wrong with them. Their eyes... they..."

"They're being mind controlled, too?" Monkey looked incredulous as he started disinfecting Mei Ling's injury with alcohol. She clenched her teeth and took several deep breaths. "I don't get it. Why would they send you to take the HQ when they already took it?"

Mei Ling shook her head. "Ember did a little brainwashing of her own is my best guess."

Mantis let out a low, guttural growl at her words. "Peeeeeerrrrrfeeeeeeect!"

Monkey looked just as ticked as he cleaned the cut and started wrapping. "Where are they now?"

"Most of them left to fight in the streets." Mei Ling said. "There might still be a few around here somewhere. Probably looking for me."

Crane glanced back in the direction of the door. "We'd better get you out of here. Can you walk?"

"Only one way to find out."

When Monkey was done, he helped Mei Ling to her feet. It turned out she could walk slowly as long as she had the staff to keep her steady. With that, they made their way back through the maze of shelves and into the corridor. From there, they would return to the hole they came in from and look for an empty building where they could hide Mei Ling while they continued on to the royal palace. Speaking of which... "Mei Ling, have you heard anything from the palace?" Crane asked. "Are Emperor Xian and his family okay?"

"They're okay." Mei Ling replied. "But Long Feng is holding them in the palace."

Mantis's heart sank. "Who the heck is Long Feng?"

"He's the axe-crazy son of a rotten apple who commands the army."

Crack.

The sound of a foot on broken pottery made everyone turn their heads. Crane looked down, but it was a crumpled scroll he had stepped on. Mantis rubbed the back of his neck. "Is there any way to convince the rest of you that going to check that out is a really bad idea?"

Crane and Monkey looked at each other. Then Crane looked at Mei Ling. He shook his head. "Okay, yeah. We're convinced."

They started walking again. It was slow going, what with the others having to slow down for Mei Ling, and Mantis was really wanting to get out of this creepy place. "Step on it, Mei Ling!" He blurted out.

Mei Ling stopped dead and looked at him with cold, narrowed eyes. "I'll step on you in a minute. Look, guys, I'm going to tell you what I know, just in case I don't get another chance."

"Mei Ling, we don't have time for-"

"Can it, Crane." They continued on. "The Children of Nuwa are being led by this psychopath called Lady Hei Nuwang. Somehow she has the power to create and control amethyst stone. I don't know what she's up to exactly, but I do know that her main priority is Ember. She's obsessed with capturing her. She tried to retrieve the key to Ember's resting place and then tried to retrieve Ember herself from the Himalayas, but both times you've interfered. I'm assuming she attacked the Jade Palace to keep you from interfering a third time."

"And boy is that going to blow up in her face." If Mantis had knuckles he would have cracked them.

Once again Mei Ling glared at him. "Be grateful you haven't faced her yet, Mantis. Now shut up, there's more. Those two members of the Brotherhood of Bloodstained Hands who disappeared... they're members of the Children of Nuwa, now."

"You're kidding." Monkey said.

"No. Izumi's become one of Long Feng's lackeys, and Sutoraiki is working on some alchemic experiments for Hei Nuwang. I haven't found out much about these experiments, only that he's using living test subjects."

"That little scumbag." Mantis growled. They were approaching the last door before their escape. "Anything else?"

"Yes. This isn't the first time the Children of Nuwa and Ember had crossed paths. Hei Nuwang and Long Feng tried to get Ember to join her cause, and when she refused, they tried to kill her. They failed of course, but she was hurt so badly she was taken beneath the white fortress to recover, while the population of Shambhala was evacuated for their own safety."

"Where are they now?" Crane asked.

Mei Ling shrugged. "They searched for decades, but got squat." Mantis and Monkey reached the door first. Crane stayed behind Mei Ling, keeping an eye out for anyone following them. "One more thing. Hei Nuwang has a sister. She was a member herself, but she left after the attempt to kill Ember failed. No-one knows where she is now."

When Crane and Mei Ling finally reached Mantis and Monkey, Monkey opened the door.

Two seconds later, Mantis sighed. "Damn."

A dozen red eyed soldiers in the room, all armed with swords. On the rooftops visible through the big hole, two dozen soldiers armed with bows and arrows. On the pile of rubble that was once the pagoda, three dozen soldiers with all sorts of weapons. Atop the remains of the pagoda roof directly facing the four masters, a bulky rhino with one arm, black armour all over and a jubilant sneer.

"And just when I thought I was gonna hafta tear the empire apart looking for you sorry prancers!" The rhino who could only be Long Feng folded his arms. "To think that little Miss Best of the Best was a double agent. Who would have guessed? Do you know what happens to traitors of Lady Hei Nuwang?" Long Feng paused. "Neither do I. But I can't wait to find out." He started to raise his arm to give a signal, but then a bird came down from the sky landed beside him.

"Sir, the Lady has requested your presence at the palace."

Long Feng waved the bird away and strolled across the ruined pagoda, away from the HQ building.. Before he disappeared behind the wreckage, he looked to the soldiers above. "Unfortunately, I've got places to be. Boys, try not to kill any of these chumps. Bring them to the palace when you're done."

As the dozen soldiers with swords charged, Mantis leapt from Monkey's shoulder to take them on. All the while he thought of how much this was going to suck.

 


	12. Red and Blue

_One day before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_Viper was one of the few people aware that Su wasn't enjoying her membership with the Dragon Warrior Fan Club. In fact, Su's account of the first two meetings had only three words; it was hell._

_It wasn't that she thought the other kids were dumb, as she insisted. However, couldn't say the same for the stuff they talked about. Totally bodaciously awesome Dragon Warrior this. Extremely amazingly cool Dragon Warrior that. It wasn't that Su didn't like Po, but the tales the kids came out with were more than often total fibs. Po never dived headfirst off the top of the bell tower. Po's first kiss wasn't with Master Tigress. And he certainly never vomited up those bad bean buns into this very bag. Viper had laughed pretty hard at that last one. And of course Su would know all this. She lived with him._

_But that was the problem. She lived with him, and was the only kid ever to do so. That meant that the first two meetings consisted of three hours of endless questions of life with the awesome Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five. Then the third meeting came, and Su's account of it was more positive. Apparently some bodaciously awesome someone had told the club that Su wasn't appreciating the constant interrogation and asked them to knock it off. There were no names, but Viper knew. Anyway, on the third meeting they had a poster drawing contest. Su told Viper the little rabbit girl who fainted a lot won._

_Today, Su would be going to fan club meeting number four, and she wasn't exactly looking forward to it. Viper could tell from her body language when she found her in the kitchen that afternoon, having a late lunch while Po was washing dishes nearby. She wasn't happy. Viper couldn't help but smile at her pouty face. "Oh cheer up, sweetie." Viper said. "Today's the last time you have to go before your parents arrive to take you home."_

_Po spun around, sending dirty dishwater everywhere. "Oh man, I forgot they're coming today! Dad's coming, too!"_

_Su looked at the dirty water soaking into her dumplings and shoved the bowl away. "Now look what you've done!"_

_Po's shoulders slumped. "Sorry. I'll make some more once I'm done." He turned back to the dishes._

_Viper slithered onto a seat beside Su. Today may be Su's last day with them, and Viper was not going to let it end on a sour note. "Tell you what, sweetie. Your parents should be here by the time you come back. When you do, we'll do something together. We'll have a great dinner, maybe play a few games. How does that feel?"_

_Mentioning her parents did the trick. Su lightened up considerably and she got down from her chair. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "It's only for a little while, anyway. I should get going."_

_"_ _See you later, Su!" Po called from the other side of the kitchen._

_As Su headed towards the door, Viper looked to Po with a grin. "Are you excited about tonight?"_

_"_ _Yeah!" Po started rinsing the bowls with a bit of flair. "I haven't seen my birth dad since we got back from the Himalayas. I so totally can't wait to see him again!"_

_Viper giggled. "I meant tonight. With Tigress."_

_"_ _Oh." Po blushed. "You darn bet I'm excited! If tonight goes great, we could finally have a real relationship! Of course we'll still have Master Shifu to deal with, but one thing at a time!" Po turned round and pointed a shiny wet spoon at Viper. "One thing at a time. In the order of..."_

_He trailed off, the grin of anticipation sliding off his face. He dropped the spoon as he grabbed the bench. With his other paw he grabbed his head. Viper knew at once that something was wrong. "Po?"_

_Po was grimacing. "I heard it again. The hate. Su, you... Su?"_

_Viper followed Po's confused gaze. Su had stopped at the open doors, her back to them. She was hyperventilating. Her shoulders rose up and down with each gasp. "Don't..." She whispered. "Don't..."_

_Viper tried to ask what was wrong, but then the girl turned her head, her eyes like sapphire flames._

_"_ _DON'T EVER MENTION THE ORDER AGAIN!"_

* * *

_Right after her hateful scream, Su had taken off like a shot before either Po or Viper could react._

_She didn't stop running until she reached the village and nearly collided with a heavy barrel of wine in the marketplace. She put her weight against the barrel and slid to her knees, gasping and shaking._

_She would be in big trouble when she got back, but that wasn't why she started sobbing. Ice cold tears stained the pavement, and she quickly rubbed them from her face. But no matter what she did, she couldn't rub away the fear and the pain. She hit the back of her head against the barrel hard enough to give her a headache, but the voice and the hate wouldn't go away._

_She was a little girl. A little girl named Su who was supposedly either super smart or had a habit of conjuring up knowledge she shouldn't be capable of possessing. Kids were supposed to be happy almost all the time, except when they're having tantrums or had just broken their favourite action figure. Su supposed she used to be like them. She didn't have tantrums, but she was still able to feel anger. She didn't have normal toys, but would panic if her lucky coin went missing. She only started feeling happy most of the time when she came to the Valley of Peace. It felt more like home than her village did._

_But ever since she made the mistake of going to the Himalayas, she would feel some dark emotion tightening around her heart whenever anything someone said or did reminded her of Ember or the bad people who hurt her. She didn't understand. Why would she feel this about the Order when no-one had ever mentioned them in front of her? Every time someone reminded her, a voice that somehow felt like it belonged to her would scream, and scream louder every time. "Kill him! Don't let him get away with this! Kill them all!"_

_Why? Su asked herself between hiccups. Why would her brain think stuff like that? She'd never met the Order before. She didn't understand. She didn't like the screaming and the hate. She wanted it out._

_Suddenly she felt a knife stab her from the inside. She cried out and wrapped her arms around her tummy. The knife twisted and pushed at the inside of her tummy, trying to force itself out. People glanced at her as they passed, maybe thinking that she had too much tanghulu. Eventually the knife eased up on the pushing and the pained eased up enough for her to stand up again. The pain didn't go away entirely though. Even as she continued on to the Dragon Warrior Fan Club Headquarters, she could feel something pushing at her insides. At long last she reached the small building and knocked on the door. Time to get this meeting over with._

_It was Pong who answered. "Su! What took you so long?"_

_"_ _Tummy ache." Su growled._

_"_ _Oh. Anyway, your big brother's waiting for you inside."_

_Su blinked. "I don't have a brother."_

_Pong blinked back. "Really? He does kinda look like you?"_

_Su was in too much pain to be polite. "You doofus! I told you I'm an only child!"_

_With that, she pushed past Pong to get a look at the big fat liar._

_One look. One look was all it took._

_The big fat liar was standing with folded arms by the bench where the club kept the Dragon Warrior related artefacts. He was a young panda a head taller than she was. He looked less like Su and more like Po, except instead of patched tan pants, he wore a fancy midnight blue robe. His eyes, instead of emerald green, were ruby red and narrowed in cruel amusement at the blank shock in Su's own sapphire blue eyes. "Hello, princess. Long time no see."_

_One look was all it took for the rage and hate to blaze like a hell pit, but shock kept her rooted in place. "You?!"_

_"_ _Yes. It is good to see you again... 'Su'."_

_The three founding members, Lam, Chen and Yang, were standing to the side, fidgeting nervously as they too realised their mistake._

_"_ _What are you doing here?" Su hissed. "I haven't seen you since..." She glanced at the kids. "Since certain events."_

_"_ _You mean since you and your filthy worm of a bestie screwed me over." The liar said. The voice in Su's head screamed for his blood. "You always did have skewed priorities."_

_"_ _Hey!" Pong punched his hoof and started forward._

_"_ _He's not talking about you!" Su blurted out. "You stay out of this!"_

_"_ _And so I thought, well it's your last day in the Valley of Peace, right?" The liar went on. "I thought I might as well come down and see how you're doing. To think you of all people would sink so low..."_

_The owner of the voice seethed. "Very high and mighty coming from the fool who tried to destroy the universe."_

_The liar didn't look so amused now. "And for good reason." He glanced contemptuously at the fan club members._

_Su and the voice had had enough. "Get out. You have caused us enough suffering."_

_Chen gulped. "Su, we're sorry. We shouldn't have let him in, it was stupid..."_

_The liar stepped forward until his and Su's chest were almost touching. He looked down on her with his vivid red eyes. "And if I say no?"_

_"_ _Then I will make you."_

_"_ _And how will you do that? You're one of them, now. A pathetic little girl with low self esteem. Even back then, you were too much like those ugly mortals." He smirked and grabbed her wrist. "Touch a mortal once, and it breaks."_

_That did it. Su punched him so hard he nearly collided with Pong._

_The liar pushed himself away from the pig and rubbed his jaw. "You're coming with me."_

Kill him! Make him pay! _The voice screamed. No, Su replied. I'm too young to kill._

_The knife in her tummy shoved at her insides with the force of a charging bull. Su screamed and fell against the doorframe. "Su?!" Pong rushed over to her._

_"_ _Get your filthy hands off her!" The liar stormed forward. "You are not fit to touch her!"_

_Su seethed as she bent double in agony. "Neither are you."_

_She didn't know what the liar was capable of in his current state. She had to get out of here, away from the others. She pushed Pong away and staggered out the door. She heard the liar curse and go after her, but Pong grabbed a wooden sword and blocked the doorway, yelling at him to leave her alone. She didn't stay long enough to see the outcome of Pong's recklessness._

* * *

With aches and pains all over his poor, abused body, Po dragged himself from the river two miles from what was left of the prison. The riverbank was muddy and shifted like soup between his fingers, but Po succeeded in pulling himself out of the water and onto relatively dry land.

Po fell on his back and rested, even though he wasn't really that exhausted. Though colder than it looked, the river was so gentle he hadn't needed to fight to reach the surface and then swim to the edge. Lucky for him. As for Viper and Su, he didn't have a clue. Po wasn't so stupid that he would try to yell for them when they had fallen for miles in the opposite direction. Were they even still alive?

Of course they are, Po thought as he lay in the sloppy mud. This is Viper he was talking about. And she'd never let anything happen to Su. Well, he might as well get off his black and white butt and find them.

Getting to his feet in the slippery mud was tough. He slipped twice before he was finally standing and looking up in the direction of the prison. He had a clear view of the mountain from where he was standing, and what he saw made his jaw drop. Two thirds of the prison was gone. All that remained were two smouldering corners that were once part of the building's exterior wall. He thought he saw cooling lava. But that wasn't the worst of it. The summit of the mountain on which the prison had been perched looked like it had been torn off by a giant pair of hands. Massive cracks in the rock surrounded the decimated prison, glowing reddish orange.

Most frightening of all were the embers drifting gently from the sky like red snow.

Po sank to his knees as it finally dawned on him exactly what he was dealing with. Ember was powerful, he had already known that. But so were Tai Lung and Shen's cannon. The shape shifting Sword of Heroes and the Yeti. But none of them had torn apart a mountain through raw power alone. Ember was truly like nothing he had ever faced before. Was she a mortal? Or was she a demon? Po shivered as it occurred to him that she might be neither.

Only the thought of Viper and Su gave Po the strength to stand back up. His side of the river was under the shadow of a high cliff with protruding roots. He couldn't go upriver, for that led towards the prison, and there may still be soldiers looking for him. So instead he walked downriver. On the way he realised he had lost his frying pan, but the chain and stone were still coiled around his arm.

After what felt like hours, he found a tiny dock that looked like it had been abandoned for some time. On the drier lank next to the dock was the rotten skeleton of a cabin. Fixed to the dock itself was a little boat. Burnt onto the sail was the royal insignia.

Po stared at the boat. The wood was burned black in several places. It had danger written all over it. No way was he getting on. Fortunately next to the cabin a path cut through the cliff, a narrow rocky path that led into the forest. There was a small boulder in the entrance, but he could climb over it. Finding the path much more promising, Po started towards it.

When he was three feet from the path, crimson light flashed across his eyes and there she was, hunched up on the boulder and staring at him through the glowing red eyeholes of her dragon helmet.

_Po, where are you going? It's not over between us. Are you afraid of being burned to a cinder if you let me in?_

His heart pounding, Po stood his ground. "The heck with that. You don't scare me."

_You claim you are not afraid, and yet the mere thought of me made you weak at the knees._

Po felt the sting of embarrassment. "Once I find my friends, we're going to stop you. I'm the Dragon Warrior! I will destroy you!"

_Is that your answer? Destroy anything you're afraid of. Destroy anything you don't understand. Just think of it, Po. You'll never have to accept the truth._

Po had only meant that he would kick her butt in battle, but something told him she already knew that. "Truth? What truth?"

_We have met before, Po. You are too afraid to acknowledge it._

Strange images flashed before Po's eyes. A forest in winter. A red scarf. The tears of a scared little panda. His heart thudded so violently he blinked and forced the images away. He blinked again and pressed his fingers to his throbbing head. When Ember spoke again, there was a vicious edge to her words.

_That's right. Embrace the fear. Bury the past deep inside. Then you'll never find your precious Tigress._

"What did you say?!" But she was gone in a red flash, in her place leaving behind a landslide blocking the path into the forest. "What about Tigress?! Where is she?!"

When Ember didn't answer Po gave a shout of rage and kicked the muddy landslide. He kicked it again and again until his foot was sore. He was getting tired of Ember's games. Obviously she wanted him to get on that boat, and there was a pretty big chance that it would lead to the Imperial City where Tigress was supposedly being kept. Supposedly.

Regardless, Ember wanted him to go there. Whether he wanted to or not. Po kicked the landslide one more time before making his way to the boat.

He would get Ember back for this. He swore on it.


	13. Envoy of the Empress

Twelve soldiers attacking with sharp blades, and many more with bows and arrows. Four kung fu masters, one with an injured leg. Mantis had faced far worse.

"Crane! Arrows!" Monkey yelled as he blocked the first blow then kicked the first attacker back seven feet. Crane immediately leapt to the front of the group and began deflecting the heaps of arrows that came flying at them from the rooftops with his expansive wings. There were dozens and dozens of the lethal projectiles, but Crane had been practicing the art of deflection since before he came to the Jade Palace. A crowd of brainwashed bowmen had nothing on Master Shifu's training hall.

Mantis pounced from Monkey's shoulder onto the trio of red-eyed crocs aiming to gut Crane while he was focused on the arrows. Like a dark green bolt of lighting he never struck the same spot twice. Once on the first thug's neck. Two on his arm, making him lose his sword. Three on the second thug's chest at the same time the first fell. He jumped to the third and struck him square in the forehead.

Nearby, Monkey's skirmish was just as swift. Four soldiers fell to his phenomenal reflexes and relentless fists. As for Mei Ling, the nasty cut on her leg didn't stop her from dropping her three attackers with one blow of her staff.

Mantis nerve pinched the last brainwashed thug in the shoulder and then leapt back to Monkey, who signalled for them to start back through the open door into the HQ. At the same time the assault of arrows stopped as the bowmen prepared to reload. Crane lowered his wings and ushered his friends inside. Monkey slammed the door behind them, and a second later a sound like heavy rain filled the air as another volley of arrows struck the wood on the other side.

"We should keep moving." Mei Ling said, grimacing as she held her injured leg. "They'll follow us for sure."

"And go where?" Monkey asked. "They'll have the place surrounded. Does anyone have any ideas?"

"I do." Mei Ling said. "We need to get to Top Dog's office. Inside is a hidden trap door. Down there is an underground tunnel that leads right to the royal palace. No-one from the Order mentioned it, so I don't think it'll be guarded."

"Underground, huh?" Crane pulled a face. "Fine. Hurry, before they break in and find us."

"And before Ember's people find us, too." Mei Ling added.

Mantis slumped against Monkey's neck, feeling a minor headache coming on. Brainwashed soldiers trying to kill them. An evil cult bent on taking over the world. A demon goddess who can paralyze people without even touching them. Ain't life as a kung fu master grand?

In spite of all this madness, the halls of the HQ were eerily quiet. Mantis and the others moved as fast as they could without Mei Ling's injury making her lag behind. As they reached the armoury and passed by it, it became apparent that it wasn't just eerily quiet. It was improbably quiet. Their pursuers should have entered the building and attacked them by now. Or maybe they were surrounding the building. Holding it under siege.

Or maybe they were readying their cannons to blast the place apart. That last thought drove Mantis to jab Monkey behind the ear, urging them to pick up the pace.

They reached the second floor balcony of the main hall and looked down over the wooden rail. The ground floor was a mess, with furniture and paper strewn all over the floor. Mei Ling pointed to the door they needed to go through, a single red door on the lower floor opposite the hall. Then she grunted and slumped against the rail. "Mei Ling?" Crane lowered himself beside her.

Mei Ling rubbed her injured leg. A red stain was steadily growing on the dressing. "It's bleeding again. I can't afford to lose any more blood, damn it."

Mei Ling was keeping an impressively cool head. Crane on the other hand, was on the verge of panic. "Gosh darnit, Mei, why did you have to get yourself involved with these people?"

"Please don't start, Crane." The mountain cat sighed. "There's a medical room on the way to Top Dog's office. We can get something there."

They helped get Mei Ling back on her feet and then travelled warily down the stairs. Their first impression of the ground floor was right. There was no-one here.

Then...

"Voices. So many voices. Can't sleep. The Empress is angry."

They all leapt into combat stances and searched, but the voice had seemingly come from nowhere. Mantis spun round on Monkey's shoulder, close to freaking out. The room was empty. Candlelight cast flickering shadows all over the place. "Who the hell said that?"

Mei Ling looked at him. "I told you something was wrong with the people here. That sounded pretty far away, though."

Monkey swallowed and headed towards the red door. "Let's keep going."

They got to the medical room without anything else happening, which was a good thing since Mei Ling was getting weaker with each droplet of blood she left behind on the floor. The room didn't have much light due to the windows being boarded up, but Monkey found a candle on a table and lit it. The gentle glow revealed a bed nearby, and Crane set Mei Ling down on it before rooting through the cabinets.

Mantis looked at the boarded windows when Monkey strayed near them, but they were completely covered up. His antennae twitched. "Do you hear that? It sounds like fighting."

Everyone froze, and they all heard what Mantis was talking about. It was barely audible through the boards, but it seemed like there was a battle going on out there.

"It must be Ember's people." Mei Ling said, looking slightly dazed. "The crowd of Long Feng's soldiers must have drawn them here."

Crane looked just as troubled as Mantis felt. "Let's stop this bleeding and get out of here." He returned to the cabinet and found a needle and stitches.

Thump!

This time, Mantis actually jumped, losing his balance and tumbling off Monkey's shoulder. Not noticing, Monkey said, "What was that?"

Mantis was feeling ready to bust some skulls as he picked himself up off the floorboards. "How about this time, we go and check?"

"You two go." Crane said. "I'll help Mei Ling."

Like a true friend Monkey waited until Mantis was back on his shoulder before entering the corridor.

Empty. Of course it was.

"This is getting so old." Mantis muttered, thinking how true it was that nothing was scarier.

"If you want, we can check on the secret passage." Monkey said.

"Oh, what the hell."

The door to Top Dog's office, a single door at the end of the corridor, wasn't far, and was slightly ajar when they reached it. Almost at once they could tell that something wasn't right. Scattered all over the floor outside the door were empty bags and spilled dry grey powder. A searing heat emanated from the gap in the door, as did a voice so soft it was indistinct.

Monkey slowed his pace, his face grim, as he and Mantis approached the door. They couldn't see the speaker through the crack. Monkey reached out and silently nudged the door, widening the gap.

A second later, Mantis was sure that they were dead meat.

A dishevelled Top Dog was crouched over an open trapdoor in a corner of the large office, patting at the drying cement inside with a trowel. His red robe was singed black at the shoulders, and his fur was covered in soot. He whispered to himself as he patted the cement, over and over and over again. "All done. All done. She will be pleased with my success."

"Uh, Top Dog?" Monkey spoke, not moving from the doorway.

Top Dog looked at them. There was a glazed look in his eyes, like he was sleepwalking. The smile on his face, however, made it clear that there was something even worse going on in his mind. "I knew you would come. Just like she said. She knows and sees."

Mantis had a sinking feeling as he looked at the cement filled passage. "Top Dog, what did you do? We need to use that passage!"

"Can't, can't, can't." Top Dog muttered. "Told me to seal it. Only the dragons can open and close the door to the past."

Mantis had to remind himself that Top Dog wasn't insane, not really. But Ember's special brand of brainwashing was beyond creepy. "Top Dog, we need to get to the palace. The royal family is in trouble."

"Yes, yes, she saw and told me." Top Dog said.

"You're talking about Ember, aren't you?" Monkey asked warily. "Where is she?"

"Not here. She would have closed the door herself, but she has places to be. Memories to find. A panda to tell her."

"Po?"

"The peacock's eye on the black wolf's shoulder." Top Dog dazedly wandered over to the big desk in the middle of the room, sat down behind it, and gazed at the paintings that covered all four walls. Every single painting depicted imperial soldiers locked in battle. "Satisfaction. That's all she wants."

Mantis had head enough. He leaned towards Monkey's ear. "Let's head back."

"But Mantis..."

"Do you have any idea how to snap him out of it? If not, there's nothing we can do. I'm sure he'll be fine. Besides, the others need to know about this." He gestured to the cemented trapdoor.

Monkey looked very reluctant as he nodded. "Okay, Top Dog. We'll just use the streets to get to the palace. We don't want to get in Ember's way, we're just going to help the royal family."

"Good." Top Dog leaned back in his year. "Good. Tell Crane that she sends her regards." He closed his eyes and stopped moving. It took a while for Mantis and Monkey to realise that he had fallen into a deep sleep. It was like someone had just doused a candle with their fingers. Not even Po could fall asleep that quickly.

"Ooooookay." Monkey slowly stepped backwards out of the room and closed the door.

They wasted no time heading back to the medical room, stepping inside to find Mei Ling's leg fully stitched but Mei Ling still looking pale. Mantis did most of the talking as he and Monkey explained what they'd just discovered. It was no surprise how Crane and Mei Ling reacted.

"Top Dog got brainwashed and blocked the passage?" Mei Ling rubbed her forehead. "Great."

"I guess that means we go to Plan C." Crane said.

"Wait, the trapdoor was Plan B?" Mantis asked. "Then what the heck was Plan A?"

Crane ignored him. "There's a battle going on out there, right? That means most if not all of Long Feng's forces will be distracted. We should take the chance while we still got it."

"Yeah, let's hope we get out before they decide to break in." Monkey said.

"Please don't jinx it." Mantis said.

Even as he spoke those words, it was too late.

The explosive crash of wooden boards splintering like twigs was like a punch to the ears. The fierce setting sunlight pouring into the room attacked their eyes like blunt knives. In the split second that a dozen figures smashed their way through the windows and into the room, all four masters had frozen. Then the moment of dazed shock was gone, and they once again found themselves fighting for their lives.

Mantis leapt from Monkey's shoulder, and as he flew through the air he saw that their attackers were not red-eyed thugs. Even half blinded by the crimson sunlight, he could see the vacant look in their eyes. Not only that, they were imperial soldiers. He reached the first brainwashed soldier and jabbed a single point in the neck. The large pig collapsed to the ground, out cold. Mantis jumped to the next victim, ready to use the same tactic. Just as he landed on the boar's shoulder he saw two things out the corner of his eye. Crane being shoved down by three soldiers, and four pairs of hands reaching through one of the broken windows and dragging Mei Ling outside.

"No!" Crane shoved his assailants away with his wings and took off through the window. Mantis and Monkey wasted no time following, casting their opponents aside as they went.

Outside they could see that the battle was nearly over. Fallen soldiers were all over the place, and only a few were still fighting on the rooftops. They heard Mei Ling cursing from the other side of the square. Her four abductors were dragging her by the arms into an alley right across from them. In her current state, she could only struggle in vain. She had lost too much blood.

Mantis, Crane and Monkey tried to pursue, but only got halfway before a stray cannonball struck one of the buildings overlooking the alley. The entire structure collapsed, disintegrating into broken chunks of wood that blocked the alley like a landslide. Crane took flight at once, disappearing over the blockade. After what felt like forever he returned, his expression stricken. "She's gone! Vanished!"

They heard the explosion of another cannon, and the pavement exploded some distance away. Monkey grabbed Crane's shoulder. "Come on, we need to hide!"

They almost had to drag Crane to the nearest unblocked street. Some time later, in a relatively intact noodle shop much like Mr. Ping's, they stopped to catch their breath and reflect on the disastrous turn of events. Mei Ling was gone, taken by the enemy. She could be anywhere in the city by now. If she was still alive.

"She's alive." Crane muttered, as if he had read Mantis's mind. "She was the star of my old academy. She's alive."

"And we'll find her." Mantis replied. "But right now I'm more worried about that." He pointed to the nearest window. Small glowing embers were floating down past the window like snowflakes. "There must be a fire nearby."

But it wasn't, as they soon discovered when they took the risk and ventured back outside. There were no fires to be seen. The little embers were falling from the gradually blackening sky, like surreal weather in dark nightmare that was all too real.

* * *

From a small burgundy red room on the top floor of the royal palace, Long Feng glared in revulsion at the falling ember snow and what it represented. Ember, the evil demon who nearly killed him so long ago, had returned.

It was roughly twenty years ago when that fateful night had occurred. That night when Ember had caught him while he was at his most vulnerable, had chosen to punish him for his involvement in her suffering. True, he had been one of Tujiu's direct subordinates when it happened, but he had only ever been following orders. Back then, it had been nothing personal. Of course, Ember hadn't seen it that way.

It had been one of the coldest winters he had ever lived through. He and twenty of his loyal soldiers had been sent by Tujiu on an errand that took them through the Valley of Peace. In the dark of the night they had chosen to sneak undetected through the forest that surrounded the valley, and that was where Ember had attacked. All twenty men slaughtered, with Long Feng saved for last. She had tortured him, broken him. Absentmindedly he touched the stumped that had once been his whole arm. He eagerly anticipated the day when he would return the favour.

The door opened behind him, and in walked Colonel Sao, his old friend. "General." The sound of Sao's voice made Long Feng just a little better, and he turned round with a small smile. The fox bowed and got right to the point. "I am pleased to report that the plan went perfectly. Though only the viper and a member of the Gongmen City's Master's Council took the bait, I was able to answer their questions without any suspicions. I believe that the ambush at the prison was successful?"

Long Feng's smile faded. Sao noticed. "Sir, what went wrong?"

Long Feng gave him what he assumed to be a reassuring look. "You are not to blame. You did your part perfectly. But the prison was attacked before our little pests arrived. Everyone was killed or disappeared, and that's not the worst of it. The Dragon Warrior has escaped, along with several prisoners. A family with one child."

"Pandas, per chance?" Sao asked. Long Feng nodded. "Damn it. If only we'd captured Ember when we had the chance."

"Don't worry, my friend." Long Feng smirked. "We'll get another chance. In the meantime, I have new orders for you. Three members of the Furious Five, as well as the traitor Mei Ling are cornered in the HQ. Take some troops and head straight to the HQ to assist in their capture."

"Yes, sir." Sao looked over Long Feng's shoulder and his eyes widened when he saw the falling embers. "Sir, I think the palace is on fire!"

Long Feng shook his head. "No. It's Ember. She's here in the city, or at least close by."

For the first time, Sao looked truly afraid. Long Feng couldn't say he blamed him. "Oh god."

"Sao, leave at once for the HQ. Leave Ember to me and Lady Nuwang."

"Yes, sir." Sao left at once.

Long Feng took one more look at the window before pulling out the special mirror that was his means of communicating with Lady Nuwang. After a few moments he saw her beautiful but cruel features on the reflective surface.

"Izumi, is that-" Nuwang's purple eyes blinked. "Oh, it's you. This had better be good."

"Whether it's good depends on your opinion." Long Feng held the mirror towards the window so she could see. "Ember snow, just like you told me about. She's here."

"Talk about unfortunate timing." Nuwang sighed.

"Indeed. Without you, we have no chance of defeating her."

"So don't bother trying. At least for the moment she is too busy obsessing over the Dragon Warrior to interfere with our plans. There's a chance that he is also here in the city."

"I beg your pardon? She's obsessed with the Dragon Warrior?"

"Yes, don't ask me why. He's an insignificant bug."

Long Feng scowled. "If he's insignificant why did we invade the valley to cap-" Suddenly he understood. "Ah. Beauty... and brains. That wasn't flattery, I assure you."

The Lady laughed. It was surprisingly pleasant, but he knew that it was also deceiving. "I will be arriving soon to deal with Ember. In the meantime, use the special resources I gave you to recapture the Dragon Warrior if you can."

"My lady, the men here that weren't subjected to Scorpion's enhanced elixir were personally trained by yours truly. Is that panda really dangerous enough to set the terracotta warriors loose on him?"

"He slew the demon king of the underworld. I'm not taking any chances. Have them subdue the panda with extreme prejudice."

"Of course, my lady. Oh, and by the way, how is our captive tigress?"

Lady Nuwang grinned. "Oh, she's not going anywhere."

"Have you considered using her as leverage against the Dragon Warrior? It might make capturing him easier."

"Don't you worry. I have plans for her."


	14. Terracotta

By the time Po reached the Imperial City, night had fallen, and the closer he got to the city on the singed little boat, the sicker he felt.

Something horrible had happened here. He could see smoke rising from certain parts of the city. Entire buildings had been ripped apart by what he suspected was cannon fire. Falling embers were everywhere.

There was no doubt that he was looking at a warzone. That same people who invaded the Valley of Peace had now done the same to this unfortunate city. There was smoke, but no fire, and the city was unsettlingly quiet. The city had been under siege for some time. Which meant that the civilians... Po couldn't see any. Even when the boat reached the dock and bumped against one of the wooden posts protruding from the water, he saw no sign of life.

On the blackened deck, Po fell to his knees, his eyes threatening to shed tears. All those people... and it was all the Order's fault.

Po bit the inside of his mouth, hard. His shoulders started to shake. Until now the one thing he hated had been food going to waste, or one of his action figures getting damaged, or someone hurting his friends and family really badly, but even then it hadn't felt like true hate.

Po stood back up as he began to understand what true hatred felt like. Once he'd found Tigress and dealt with Ember, he was going to make the Order wish they'd never been born.

He leapt from the boat onto the dock, which had no other boats, and then realised something else. Not only were there no civilians, there were no soldiers either. Why wasn't anyone guarding the dock? Never mind that now, Po told himself as a frightening thought struck him. The only reason someone would attack the Imperial City was if they were after the royal family. Po had to get to the palace. He had come here for Tigress, but he still had a duty as the Dragon Warrior.

With the rock and chain still wrapped around his arm, Po strode into the city. He stuck to the alleyways, growing more concerned by the minute at how quiet it was despite the destruction he witnessed at every turn. It was like the entire city was deserted. Was the battle already over? Was he already too late?

The deeper he ventured into the city, the hotter it became. The embers falling from the sky seemed to be heating up the air like a flame heating up the water in a kettle. By the time he found his path blocked by a fallen building, he had to pull off the vest of the weird black bodysuit he had woken up in. Instead of discarding the vest he wrapped it around his waist, just in case. No longer pressed against his chest by the cloth, the Heart of China emerald bounced freely. It flashed black in the light of the ember snow.

Even Po wasn't stupid enough to try climbing up that unstable looking pile of rubble that looked like it was once a shop. So he found an open window in one of the intact buildings and climbed through that instead.

And then wished he hadn't.

At first he was sure he was staring at a bloodbath. In the middle of the large living he had climbed into, he appeared to be looking at seven bodies lying in a horrifically massive pool of blood. He looked away, shutting his eyes in horror. Then he summoned his courage and looked again. The 'pool of blood' was just a large torn rug. The 'bodies' were breathing. But they were frozen like fallen statues, their eyes bulging and fixed on the ceiling, the victims of a nerve attack.

"Ember." Po whispered.

The air grew hotter than ever. Po turned his head and there she was, crouched on all four on a small table.

 _How did I do it, you wonder?_ She spoke. _How did paralyze these poor souls without even touching them? You already know the answer, Po, and yet at the same time, you don't._

"Kno-Knock it off, Ember." Po said, setting his jaw just like Tigress did to hopefully look more intimidating. "I already got enough riddles from Master Oogway and Shifu. Cut the crap and tell me what the heck you want!"

_I sometimes ask the same question about you, Po. How do you do it? How do you hold it all in, so no-one ever sees your pain? But I see it, matter how deeply you try to hide._

"You're crazy. You say you know me, but before the Himalayas, I didn't even know you existed. You're talking to the wrong guy. Now go and torture somebody else!"

Ember's low, infuriated hiss startled him. _Do not speak to me of torture, you insolent child. You know nothing, and you have no idea of the meaning of true pain._

She was gone in a red flash. Po felt a moment of satisfaction at finally getting under her skin, but then the moment was gone as he remembered that dark room in Shambhala, the one with the blood-stained bed. Losing his mother to Lord Shen's genocide when he was a baby probably had nothing on what she had been through. She had a pretty good reason to be crazy. "I'm sorry." He said, surprising himself. If she had heard, she gave no sign.

Somehow feeling like a jerk, Po crossed the living room, making a silent promise to the paralysed soldiers to come back with someone who knew how to de-paralyse them. Maybe he did know her. Maybe he forgot, just like he forgot what happened to his parents. When he reached the front door, he stopped and tried to remember, but all that came to him was a forest in the middle of winter, a bush, and the screams of a tortured soul... wait what?

A tortured soul? Why would he remember that of all things? What exactly had happened between him and Ember that he couldn't remember?

Po pushed open the door and entered a wide street packed to the brim with stalls bearing all kinds of merchandise ranging from fruit to pottery. Just like the rest of the ruined city, the marketplace was abandoned. At least there weren't any bodies here, dead or paralysed. Instead there were a couple of cannons the size of boats sitting abandoned near the end of the street.

He stepped into the clearer space in the middle of the street, trying to figure out exactly how far from the royal palace he was, but he saw no sign of the massive building. He was starting to consider climbing one of the taller buildings and risk being spotted by any invaders still lurking, when a kung fu chill rose up his spine.

He 'nonchalantly' unwrapped the chain and rock, gripping it like a meteor hammer. He took a deep breath and spun on his heel.

Nothing. He was the only soul in the street.

Then he heard the sound of something bouncing off wood and looked up just in time to see a black shape flying right at his face.

"Yah!" Po ducked and rolled as the masked man struck the ground where he had been standing a second earlier, sinking his fist into the pavement in an explosion of rock.

Po stood back up, glaring defiantly at his attacker. So the masked man was indeed allied with the order, just as he thought.

"Nice try, metal head." He said.

The masked man pulled his gloved hand from the hole in the ground and faced the panda. "I've been looking for you, panda." He said, the metal mask slightly distorting his voice. "Lady Hei Nuwang has been worried about you ever since you left the prison."

"If she thinks I'm going back without a fight, she's an idiot." Po said. "And you're an even bigger idiot if you think you even have a chance of taking me back."

The masked man crossed his arms. "Still the same arrogant little upstart. You're coming with me if I have to knock you out and drag your massive rear myself."

Po twirled the chain and rock. "I'd like to see you try."

The masked man stepped forward once, and then froze. Immediately after, Po heard the same thing. A strange clanking sound, like stone on stone, and also a metallic scraping. Like a person made entirely of stone dragging a sword along the ground.

The masked man tilted his head as he studied Po's expression. "You know what that is, don't you?"

Po's eyes narrowed. "For once, I think I do."

The approaching sound was coming from the end of the street where the cannons sat. Both Po and the masked man turned toward it.

From around the corner stepped a terracotta dragon warrior taller than the crocodile statues Po had fought before, lifting up a terrifyingly large sword with a black hilt. Po thought for sure the Order was pulling his leg. Brainwashing people was one thing, but terracotta warriors? At least it was just one warrior this time. He could take it.

Then he heard a scrape coming from other end of the street. He turned his head and saw a second warrior hefting the biggest black axe he had ever seen.

"You've got to be bloody joking." The masked man muttered. He took the words right out of Po's mouth.

Po went into his stance. He could hear Shifu's voice inside his head telling him to wait. Wait for the opponent to strike first, then dodge and strike back before he can recover. He felt the sleeve of the masked man's black vest brush his arm, and wondered what was his own strategy. Po knew from experience that terracotta warriors were strong but slow, and only a special note from a flute could destroy them. There were no flutes in this desolate marketplace, but perhaps Po could outrun them.

Then both statues broke into a sprint.

Oh crap!

Po braced himself and spun his makeshift meteor hammer as he faced the sword warrior, while behind him he heard a series of rapid _chinkchinkchink_ sounds. The masked man must be using throwing knives on the axe warrior.

In seconds both statues were upon them and swinging their huge weapons in an overhead arc. Po and the masked both stepped to the side, allowing the blades to embed themselves harmlessly in the pavement. Po sent the chunk of rock flying at the sword warrior's head. It made contact and left a crack in the side of its head. Then the sword was pulled from the ground and the warrior swung again. Po ducked, barely avoiding decapitation, and started running. If he could just make it to that alley over there, he could lose them in the labyrinth like city.

He heard a wooshing sound and turned his head. "Wah!" He bent double as the sword flew inches above him, tearing through two market stalls before impaling a building.

When Po straightened up, the sword warrior was mere feet away and swinging its fist. "Woah, time out!" He blocked the blow with his forearm and felt the impact rattle his bones. Striking with punches and kicks would be useless, but maybe Po could trip it up. As he ducked under its outstretched arm, he caught a glimpse of the masked man dodging the axe warrior's swing and throwing a shuriken at its already riddled head. Pulling at the sword warrior's arm to propel himself, Po slid across the ground and struck the clay man's leg with both feet. The sword warrior fell on one knee. Just when Po was thinking that this was his chance to get away, the sword warrior punched him in the face. Po rolled across the ground, and when he finally stopped he found himself behind one of the rows of stalls lining the street. His face aching, the stunned Po slowly propped himself up on his paws and saw the sword embedded in the wall thirty feet away. The warrior silently strode over and retrieved its weapon before stepping out of sight behind the stands.

Still too unsteady to get up, Po crawled backwards along the row of stands, and then the sword sliced through the stand and tore a gash in the ground where he was just lying. Po kept crawling, his head throbbing, and the sword came down again, smashing another stand. Then a shuriken struck the sword warrior in the head and it turned round and stepped out of sight.

Po supposed the masked man had been ordered to take him alive. When the throbbing in his head finally subsided and his strength returned, Po stood up and rushed back into the street, keeping an eye out for the nearest escape route. He quickly found that he'd ended up at one end of the street, near the cannons.

He saw both the sword warrior and the axe warrior chasing the masked man, swinging at him with their respective blades, as he rushed towards the cannons. The masked man somersaulted over one of the massive weapons, evading the sword and axe and they sank into the nearest cannon.

The masked man landed right beside Po, but he was more interested in the second cannon standing some distance away. The direction it was pointing in and the position of the warriors gave him one of the greatest ideas he ever had. And what luck, for one of the masked man's shurikens was lying at his feet. Po picked it up, grinning.

"Hey, clayfaces!" He said, stopping them dead. "Time to feel the thunder."

He tossed the shuriken right at the second cannon. It struck the metal next to the fuse and sent out several bright sparks.

KABOOM!

The sparkling red cannonball tore through the axe warrior as it soared towards Po. Just as he had done that night in Gongmen Harbour, he caught the projectile with his paw and redirected it like a raindrop. A hundred pound flaming raindrop that exploded the sword warrior into a gazillion pieces before taking the roof off a fruit stall.

Po stretched his arm, gazing at the charred clay pieces before turning to the masked man. "Not bad." The masked man said. "But I'm still taking you back."

"And you're still an idiot for thinking you can." Po said. "And furthermore, you can tell this Hei Nuwang to stick it where the sun don't..." The top of his peripheral vision caught something standing on the roof of one of the taller buildings. "... shine." It was a certain something that was tall, black, and had tendrils all over. He felt the blood drain from his face. "Uh oh."

Before he could move, a tendril caught him around the waist and lifted him in the air. It swung back with him helpless in its grip, then swung him right into the masked man's body, catapulting him across the street. On the verge of passing out from the brutal blow, Po was limp as the black tendril lifted him up to the rooftop where the shadow creature was standing. But it wasn't looking at him, but rather at the masked man struggling to his feet far below with blue eyes burning with tranquil fury.

Po knew that he was going to die.

Then the creature dropped him and leapt from the rooftop.


	15. The Mystic Mountains

_Several hours earlier..._

Viper was having a really lousy day. She was covered in scratches from falling through the trees and their sharp branches, bruised from being thrown from the slab of rock when it finally hit the ground, almost certainly suffering from two dozen cracked ribs and overall incredibly lucky to be alive. Now she was dragging her own sore body through the muddy trench the slab had made as it slid across the ground, screaming Su's name. As they'd crashed through the treetops, the girl had suddenly disappeared from her side. Then she'd hit the ground and got knocked out for who knows how long. Then she'd woken up at twilight and realised that the worst had happened.

Despite her headache, she still remembered what had happened right before the crash. Po had been right beside them before their piece of rooftop broke in two and sent them flying in different directions. Po could be anywhere by now, but then again Viper was worried about Su more then anything, terrified in fact.

Speaking of anywhere, by now Viper had finally realised the name of these mountains. It had been nagging at her in the back of her mind, but she'd been too focused on the mission to pay attention. But these were none other than the Mystic Mountains, a place full of caves brimming with jade, the birthplace of the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom. She'd heard the story from Crane on the day they first met. On a visit to these very mountains, Master Oogway had discovered a lost mining village, where for reasons unknown he had been presented with the largest piece of uncut jade the world had ever seen. Naturally the humble Oogway felt unworthy of such a gift, and divided the stone amongst the villagers. What was left became the Jade Tortoise.

Now if only a villager would pop out and help her find Su or one of her allies.

Viper winced as her slow movement along the ground provoked her cracked ribs. Not only were Po and Su missing, but she had seen no sign of Master Boar, Po's father, or Su's parents since Ember had destroyed the prison. She caught a glimpse of what was left of the building through a gap between the trees and shuddered. "Su!" She called again. The only response was the leaves rustling in the wind.

Maybe it was her painful injuries messing with her head, but something seemed wrong with the forest, and it wasn't the vibrant moonlight. The only way she could describe it was that there were shadows placed where they didn't belong. There were literal black spots all over the ground. When she slithered over one, the ground felt wet, while the moonlit areas were dry as dust. "Did she do this, too?" Viper wondered out loud. Is she around here somewhere? If she didn't do this, then what did? Could this any worse?

Seemingly in answer to the last question, two normal-eyed soldiers emerged from the darkness. "Oh come on." She groaned.

The soldiers froze momentarily as they recognised the fugitive. They unsheathed their blades.

Summoning all the chi she could muster to hide how much pain she was in, Viper went into her stance. The soldiers stepped forward to attack, turning black as they stepped into one of the shadows.

All Viper's eyes caught was a black tendril curling around the left soldier's leg before he was dragged into the darkened ground in an explosion of black mist. Her breath caught in her throat, as did the other soldier's before a pure black arm with lethal looking claws shot out from the shadow and grabbed him by the waist. The demon's nightmare inducing head came next, then the shoulders. Like a Jiang Shi rising from the grave it pulled its entire body from the ground and snarled hatefully at its prey before slamming the soldier into the shadow it stood on. He too disappeared into the ground.

Barely believing what she was seeing, Viper started slithering backwards as quietly as she could, wanting more than anything to avoid the same fate. The creature must have already been aware of her presence however, for right after the soldier's demise it turned its head towards her. The black tendrils on its black flew at her like spears forged in the fires of hell.

It was like time had stood still, and for a moment Viper thought it actually had. But the branches of the trees were still swaying gently. Viper was still breathing painfully. Only the tendrils had frozen, inches from her face. Through the tendrils she saw the creature's eyes, half an inch wider as it stared at her. Viper held her breath as the tendrils moved again, but this time they were retreating as the creature turned away. It gripped a darkened tree with all four limbs, sank into the shadow and all was quiet again.

Viper wanted to believe she had imagined it. The pain was so intense it was giving her hallucinations. But Po had told her of a creature born of shadows. Just like this.

She heard the sound of a sword being drawn.

Hissing, Viper spun round, nearly crying out in agony as she did so. Luckily for her, it wasn't a soldier or a monster. Boar didn't look nearly as beat up as she did, and he held the short sword steady as he pointed it at her face. Then his eyes widened a little and he lowered the blade. "Flower girl?"

Viper breathed a sigh and relaxed. "I told you not to call me that."

Boar huffed. "Where are the Dragon Warrior and the girl?"

"We got separated. I've been looking for them for hours." Her strength wavered and she lowered her head.

Boar stepped forward and knelt down before her. "You're hurt."

Viper lay flat out on the ground, spent. "You have no idea. I think it's cracked ribs." She looked at her body and saw the tell-tale bruising.

Boar checked her over and gave the diagnosis. Many of her ribs were indeed cracked, but there were at least four broken. "It's a good thing I didn't lose our supplies. I know it hurts, but keep breathing normally." He started rummaging through the bag. "Qiang and the others are okay, by the way. I ordered them to hide in one of those old jade mines while I looked for you. Luckily we made it out before the entire building collapsed." He pulled out a bottle of a pain relief drug. "Speaking of which, what the hell happened?"

"Ember." Viper said. "She didn't like the Children of Nuwa's goons interfering, so she tore the place apart."

"Huh. Such an overreaction." Boar administered the drug and sat down beside her as they both waited for the effects to kick in. Suddenly he turned his head sharply. "She can do that?! Destroy a building the size of a small mountain?!"

Viper nodded. She didn't want to talk anymore. Boar glanced in what must be the direction of the prison and seemed to come to a decision. "I think it's best we don't sit out in the open. I'll get you back to the others and finish treating you."

He lifted Viper and draped her over his shoulder. She was too sore to resist. "But what about-"  
"We'll look for your friends once the pain has eased. I'm not a complete jerk."

Viper didn't disagree. Boar carried her into the forest, and it felt like an eternity before they reached the mine he had mentioned, a square shaped opening in a tree covered hill. Qiang, dressed in black pants and a dirty green vest, was waiting for them at the entrance. His eyes widened. "Master Viper!" He rushed over to them and stared at Viper's bruises. "What happened to you? Where are Po and Su?"

"Keep your voice down!" Boar growled. "Not all the reinforcements were inside the prison when it collapsed, and the survivors are probably searching this forest right now!" He took a deep breath, and when he spoke again he was calmer. "Look, Master Viper needs medical attention. Let's get her inside, and she can explain everything."

Qiang looked terrified, but he nodded firmly and they quietly entered the tunnel.

* * *

Su was more than a little puzzled. Where did the trees go? What happened to Viper? Why had the world turned upside down?

She hadn't passed out, or at least she thought she hadn't. But one second she was on a flying rock, and the next she was in an upside down world with something clamped tight on her leg. Her arms were stuck up in the warm air.

She turned her head. Everything she saw was black and rocky. The rough stone was damp and shiny, and reflected the white light like jewels. She looked up. The ceiling wasn't very far away, and shone grey in the light.

Then she looked down.

"Crap crappity crap _crap_!"

She was looking up at a shaft of white moonlight shining down the circular stone pit, which illuminated the rope tangled around her leg. The other end of the rope was tied to some kind of wooden beam sticking out the side of the shaft. It was pretty high up. In fact the pit itself looked like it stretched at least a hundred feet. "Viper!" She cried out. "Missus Viper!" The only reply was her own voice echoing in the pit.

Su started feeling faint. She had almost died. If it weren't for this dirty bit of rope, she would have been killed. And she had no idea how to get down. She took several, shaky breaths. She mustn't panic. She mustn't panic. She needed to find Viper. "Viper!" Her head was feeling funny, but at least it didn't hurt like it did in that prison. Something about that pain had been different, she realised. It had felt less like something breaking, and more like a warning. Come to think of it, she had felt the pain right before the prison was destroyed.

The back of the weird looking red coat she'd found in the drawers of the room she'd been locked up in flopped and dangled past her head. If the Dragon Warrior Fan Club kids were here, they'd be killing themselves laughing right now. She twisted her body, trying to turn round and see if there was anything behind her, and she started swinging. Out the corner of her eye she saw a wooden ladder that seemed to go all the way up. She felt her coat slip down her arms, and grabbed the sleeve just as it fell of completely. It dangled beneath her, half the other sleeve dragging along the floor.

Su tilted her head. She wasn't too far from the ground. Maybe it wouldn't hurt too much if she simply freed herself and fell.

She looked at the rope tangled around her leg, took a deep breath and bent forward as far as she could. She didn't quite reach. She rested for a minute and tried again. She grabbed her ankle. "Yes!" though the rope was tight, she was able to find the end and unravelled the thick coils. The fall was so quick she didn't have time to cry out. She hit the ground and banged her elbow. She gasped and fought back tears as she sat up. She put her coat back on and looked around for a way out. Other than the ladder, there were two tunnels leading in opposite directions. Both were dark and reminded her of the old cupboard in her house, the one which she used to be afraid of. It had been weeks before her parents could convince her that the only things hiding in there were pots and pans. Su hoped Viper had found them.

Of course now she knew there were worse things than monsters hiding in your cupboards and under your beds, and the worst of them was the monster with the ruby red eyes. Su bit her lip and clenched her fists. She'd thought he was good and dead. He had he found her? She was different now from the person she'd used to be, in more ways than one. She'd tried so hard to behave like a good little girl. She'd tried to fit in. She did as she was told. She did everything she could to help. She'd slip up every now and again, like her stupid decision to follow the masters to the Himalayas, but other than that she'd always done her best to help the people around her, people like Oogway's protégée, like she'd failed to do so long ago.

And then Su realised her mistake. She'd helped the people around her too much. When in situations like the one in the Himalayas, kids were typically nowhere near as useful as Su had been, and so far as she knew the person she was once had been a saint. It must not have taken long for the red-eyed monster to work out that they were the same person.

And soon after, the Valley of Peace was attacked.

Su gave a tiny gasp and covered her mouth. For two months she had been held prisoner by those bad people calling themselves the Children of Nuwa, long enough for her to find out that they'd attacked the valley for the sole purpose of capturing the Dragon Warrior. One of their reasons was that he possessed the Hero's Chi.

The Hero's Chi the person she was once had created and given to Oogway.

If she'd only trusted her head and done what she should have done weeks ago. If she'd revealed that she was the one they really needed and left the valley, Shifu and the others probably wouldn't have gotten hurt or captured.

All alone in the dark pit, she began to cry. It was all her fault.


	16. First Civilian

Mantis's heart sank all the way down into his abdominal segment as he looked straight up at where Mei Ling's trail had taken them, falling embers drifting past his crestfallen face. "You have to be kidding." He said in a calm, dull voice.

One hour ago, their search for Mei Ling in the maze of streets that was the Imperial City had brought up a lead thoughtfully provided by Mei Ling herself; a trail of small pieces of red cloth with were soon identified as bits of a red flag. It was Crane who deduced that it was Mei Ling's trail due to his success at capturing a red flag more than two decades ago. For the next sixty minutes they'd followed the line of cloths, along the way running into the occasional enemy. Most were soldiers, some brainwashed, some not. All fell to the combined might of Monkey, Crane and Mantis. Others were crazy eyed citizens or imperial soldiers, victims of Ember's own mind controlling powers. The battles with them were trickier, as the three masters were reluctant to harm innocent civilians, but they were able to manage with tying up the attackers with rope, ribbons, or anything else lying about. However, the worst encounters were the ones where they didn't need to fight. Three times they discovered an entire group of soldiers lying motionless on the pavement, victims of a nerve attack. They were the worst because there was a huge chance that the entity responsible was still close by.

It was right after they'd taken out some brainwashed civilians that they'd reached the point where Mantis was really starting to get sick of the sight of trashed towers.

In this case, it was actually two. Two one hundred foot tall identical towers with red roofs and as wide as the Jade Palace. One was upright and relatively intact. The other had had its foundations blown apart and it was now leaning against its twin at a scarily large angle. Darn this place, he thought. Darn this place and the jerks who wrecked it.

In response to Mantis's statement, Crane spoke. "I know, but the trail goes right into the fallen tower. Also, it's either this or the two hundred goons on the other side of these buildings. Come on, before they take Mei Ling too far."

Mantis grumbled under his breath. Monkey gave a laugh and nudged the bug on his shoulder with his finger. "Hey, don't look so green. We just need to go a couple of floors at the most to get to the other side. That's probably where they've taken her."

So it wasn't so bad this time. Mantis nodded, squared his shoulders and jumped off his buddy to follow Crane through an open window on the bottom floor.

They found another red cloth on the slanted floor of the trashed room they found themselves in. All the furniture, ornaments and smaller objects had slid down and gathered at the lower end of the room, leaving it almost completely bare. "That's one way to clear the floor." Mantis said.

Once Monkey was inside with them they started to cross the room to the open door at the other side.

_Krrrrrrrrrrrr..._

They stopped dead as the terrible sound ripped through the building. There was a small shudder in the angled floorboards, but nothing more after that. Crane looked at the others. "Okay, if we get into another fight while we're in here... no throwing anyone into walls, okay?" Mantis and Monkey nodded earnestly.

They crept into the central chamber with the wooden staircase leading all the way up to the top. Mantis didn't usually mind stairs, but in this case they were tilted like the rest of the room. That and they were positioned at the higher side, with the rail facing down. He had to watch that he didn't slip through the wooden bars as they slowly made their way up to the next floor, where they found another piece of red cloth by the foot of-

"Gosh darnit." Crane said. "Ember was here." a paralysed rhino

soldier lay propped against the rail. His chest plate had been knocked off, so Mantis could see the faint mark on his skin where Ember had struck his pressure point.

"He hasn't been paralysed for long." Mantis said. "We should keep our voices down."

There was another cloth piece halfway up the stairs to the next floor. Watching out for signs that the rail might give way, they followed the trail upwards. The tower creaked again, and bits of plaster fell past their heads. They reached the next floor and saw another bit of cloth by a nearby door.

Mantis peeked through the bars of the rail down at the paralysed man they'd passed. "I'm not suggesting I de-paralyse him, but I don't think we should just leave him there."

Crane turned round and started back down the stairs. "You're right. I'll go back and get him out of the building. I'll catch up once I'm done."

Monkey went to the door and pushed. It wasn't locked, but something was blocking it on the other side. "Darnit. You know, maybe we should de-paralyse them. We don't know what happens if they still paralysed for too long."

"They'll be fine." Mantis started to push at the door, and Monkey did the same. "I don't know everything about nerve techniques, but I do know that long term paralysis won't hurt them. Tai Lung would know."

"How so?" Monkey grunted. The door started to open just a little, and they could see the big dragon statue that was blocking their path.

"You know how Tai Lung was still at the top of his game even though he was immobilised for two decades? Well, Master Shifu suggested once that it was because the tortoise shell had stopped the flow of chi. He guessed that because the chi flow had completely stopped, his body's condition was more of less preserved. So when he came out he was exactly the same as when he went in." Mantis stopped pushing as a troubling though struck him. "You know something? Master Shifu also mentioned that the big casket Ember came out of had needles just like the ones in Tai Lung's shell."

"What's your point? Keep pushing."

"Look, Oogway designed the tortoise shell himself. You don't suppose that..."

Monkey swiftly hit Mantis with his tail. "Are you nuts? There is no way Oogway is connected to Ember. No. Freaking. Way."

Mantis felt a little stupid. "You're right. I don't know what I'm thinking. Let's just get this thing open."

"Let's try one big push. On three." Monkey and Mantis braced themselves. "One... two... three!"

On three they slammed against the door. The force of two kung fu masters sent the statue skidding away from the door as it flew open and their momentum sent them staggering into the big room. Mantis took a moment to rub his aching shoulder, before he saw the big shape charging at the unbalanced Monkey and forgot all about his pain. "Monkey!"

Mantis's shout came too late as the crazy-eyed buffalo slammed into Mantis, knocking him to the sloped floor and pinning him. Three more came running from a dark corner, and then Mantis had his thingies full holding them off. Their skin was too thick to use pressure points, so Mantis settled for brute strength, throwing the first buffalo into the second and taking out both at once. He threw the third over his head and onto the floor and turned to the fourth trying to punch Monkey's lights out.

But then someone got there first. They kicked the buffalo off of Monkey and struck them right between the eyes with a broken staff, knocking them out for the count. "Mei Ling?" Monkey said before Mantis could.

"You okay?" Mei Ling asked before dropping to her knees, breathing heavily. Mantis's relief quickly evaporated.

"Am _I_ okay?" Monkey got up and rushed to her side along with Mantis. "You really don't look good."

"How did you escape Ember's minions?" Mantis asked.

"They ran into a group of Long Feng's soldiers. I took out the ones dragging me and ran for it while they were busy duking it out." Mei Ling said. She put a paw on her bloody leg. "This leg didn't make things easy. Wait a minute, where's Crane?"

"Outside. Come on, we need to get you someplace safe before you get worse." Monkey helped her to her feet. "We're gonna need to plan, too."

"For what?" Mei Ling asked.

"To do what we came here to do." Mantis said, having already known the answer. "We're going to rescue the royal family."

* * *

Po hit the roof so hard he went straight through it, slamming into the floor below. Dust, wood and broken tiles rained down on his body as his vision doubled. He rolled onto his side, gasping, and raised a paw to the sore spot on his body where the creature had slammed him into the masked man. It seemed like anything could pass for a meteor hammer nowadays.

The rainfall of broken roof bits soon ceased, and peace fell over the bedroom he had fallen into. Embers floated softly in the room through the open ceiling, dissipating harmlessly on the floor. When he could breathe normally again, Po got up on his knees. His shoulder was so sore he couldn't move his arm. A trickle of dust fell on his head and he looked up. There was a ragged hole in the roof where he'd fallen through, but there was no sign of the creature or the masked man. Good.

Po stood up, rubbing all the parts of his body that hurt. And by parts, he meant all of him. He rubbed his shoulder, his arms, his legs, and the itch on his chest... Po froze. He rubbed the back of his neck. His mouth fell open and his heart skipped a beat. The Heart of China was gone. "Aw maaaaan!" Po stood up and spun round on the spot, but so no sign of the necklace. He searched under the bed, the table next to it, and under the broken tiles. He groaned and looked up to the hole in the roof. Thanks a lot, stupid shadow monster. Why the heck was it even here?

He kicked some tiles. He kicked some more. The tiles went flying, revealing a slit burnt in the floorboards. A slit wide enough for a large emerald to fall through. Po leapt down and put one eye to the hole. He saw the orange glow of candlelight illuminating the corner of a table. There was a flash of movement, but it could have been anything. The hole went down to the lower floor.

Po had promised Tigress that he would look after the gem. It was one of the last things he did before she disappeared. He stood up and went to the door.

Just like in the noodle shop, the stairs were right outside the door, leading into what looked like a kitchen. He took the first step down, and the step creaked. Po heard a sound below and froze. Eventually he took another step. _Creak._ "Not again." Po muttered. He looked at the remaining dozen steps. "Darn it all to heck."

_Creacreacreacreacreacreacreacreacreacreacreacreak!_

By the time Po reached the bottom he was cringing in monumental embarrassment. Wood hadn't strained beneath his weight like that since the floor in the barracks was last repaired. Feeling like an idiot, Po looked around the room. He was indeed inside a basic kitchen, one with a soaking wet floor, but there was no table lit by candlelight. Maybe that door by the stove led to the room beneath the bedroom. He slowly opened the door and went through.

There was a table with a flickering candle on top, but that wasn't all. There was translucent snow lightly dusting the floor, slightly bigger chunks of ice scattered amongst it. The source of the weird mess was a figure hunched over a chunk of ice the size of a chair in one corner of the room. Wondering where the heck the guy got a piece of ice that big from, Po started to unravel his rock and chain, but then he saw that the guy wasn't wearing armour. His muscles relaxed. It was the first civilian he'd found since arriving in that boat. He must have been hiding here all this time. Po took a step forward, eager for information. There was little chance that this person would have the answers, but he had to try.

"Uh, hey there." Po spoke up, sheepishly waving a paw as he wondered if the guy had heard his journey down the noisy stairs or his fall through the roof. "I don't know if you heard that earlier, but a big monster kinda dropped me through your roof. Nothing scary. A little scary, but I'm okay, and I'm really sorry about your roof. Guy?" Po frowned. The guy hadn't reacted at all. Maybe if Po went up to him, he would notice. So Po stepped up to the guy, getting close enough to see that he was furiously chipping away at the ice with a carving knife, causing bits of ice and snow to fall and cover the floor. A long thin piece came away, and the guy finally stood up and faced him. He was a pig with weird looking glassy eyes.

Po swallowed. "Hey, it's me. Po Ping. The Dragon Warrior. You may have heard of me. I save the day every day with the Furious Five. You haven't seen Master Tigress or her friends around here, have you?"

The pig raised his head. "You're the one the Empress wants most."

Po raised his eyebrows. His gut was suddenly telling him to leave. Now. "Okay, I guess not. I should probably be going." As he turned, he saw a glint of green by one of the table legs. His heart leaping, Po raced forward and grabbed the Heart of China. He sighed in relief and put it back around his neck.

_Chink._

Po turned round and his relief evaporated as he saw the long piece of ice rushing at his face. He leapt aside to avoid the pig's swing and went into his stance. A civilian attacking with an ice club. That was a first.

Staring at the shocked panda with glazed brown eyes, the pig slowly advanced.

Po raised his fists. "Stop..." He said. "... I said stop!"

He didn't stop. Po grimaced. He couldn't punch an innocent civilian who obviously wasn't in his right mind. When the pig got close enough, Po dodged his second swing and clamped his fingers on his attacker's shoulder. The nerve pinch swiftly brought him down, and the ice piece fell from his grip. Po instinctively grabbed the ice to stop it from landing on his foot, and stared down at the improvised weapon. The painful cold... the water soaking his fur as the ice began to thaw... somehow he remembered the feeling before. Suddenly he realised his heart was racing and dropped the ice. Something was nagging at him, trying to push itself to the front of his mind but being held back by inexplicable fear.

The civilian would be okay. Po wiped his damp paw on his pants, found the back door and walked into a dark alley stocked with piles of barrels. Po stood there, clutching the Heart of China, wondering where the hell he was supposed to go, when he saw the dagger pinning a scroll to one of the barrels. There were tell-tale burn marks on the barrel. Po pulled out the dagger and unrolled the scroll. He raised his eyebrows. It was a kung fu permit. Why would Ember leave this of all things? Unless she wanted him to go to the place where this permit came from.

There was a flash of red, and then Po looked up to see Ember perched on a barrel at the summit of the pile, eyeholes glowing like the falling embers.

_"_ _The wall is burning down, Po, and memories are seeping through... and when they do... I'll be coming for you..."_


	17. To the Royal Palace

As Mantis, Crane and Monkey crept up the slanted roof of the pagoda to get a clear view of the royal palace, the bug thought back on the last hour.

In her current condition, there was no way that Mei Ling could accompany them on their royal rescue mission. So they had taken her to an undamaged tailor shop and down into the cellar, where they'd redressed her injury and made a makeshift bed out of the piles of blankets and fabrics. Mei Ling had cursed and pleaded for them to let her accompany them, but Crane was adamant that she would stay out of further danger until she'd recovered.

"Great. Absolutely brilliant." Mei ling had folded her arms, seething. "From kung fu master to damsel in distress."

Mantis shrugged. "Technically you're a handicapped bada-"

"No more arguing!" Crane snapped. "We have a royal family to save. Mei Ling, promise me you'll stay put." When Mei Lung looked away without a word, he added, "Let me put it this way. The less danger you're in, the better chance you have of seeing your son again."

Those last words gained the promise Crane wanted, and so now she was lying low in a cellar while the others were off doing their duty and saving the royal family. Mantis felt bad for her, but they all agreed there wasn't any other choice.

Crane was the first to the top of the roof, and he peeked over the tiles at the royal palace. Ten buildings and five streets separated them from the big wall, so it was unlikely that they would be seen. Mantis and Monkey crept up beside him and waited silently as he observed the scene. "How's it looking?" Mantis eventually said.

"Just like Mei Ling said. A guard every twenty feet, and two in each of the four corner towers. You'd think there'd be more."

"They're probably off dealing with Ember's living zombies." Monkey said. "Lucky for us."

Crane's eyes narrowed. "I can't see a possible route from here. We should get closer."

So they quickly crossed two streets until they were seven buildings away. The building they crouched on was tall enough for them to see inside the expansive courtyard. The royal palace stood at the far end, an unscathed complex of buildings which each had their own purpose. According to Mei Ling, Emperor Xian and his family were being held in the residential building near the large central hall where Long Feng commanded his army. Mantis saw that aside from two dozen soldiers patrolling the inside of the courtyard wall, the courtyard was clear. Not for the first time, he wondered where Po and Tigress were. If Po were here, he would be all 'we are the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five and we are here to save royals and kick buttoey!' and Tigress would be dragging him back onto the roof and telling him that recklessly jumping in shouting boasts was just asking to be captured or worse. Wherever they were, he hoped they were still alive.

Crane was scowling. "I can't see any way to get in without being seen. What about you two?"

Mantis shook his head, and so did Monkey. "This Long Feng guy's really thought this through." The primate said. "We might have to do what Po would do and just wing it."

"Yeah. There's not that many soldiers. We could take them all out without them sounding the alarm." Mantis said.

Crane was silent for a few seconds. "It we do this, we should move in on one of the corners."

Mantis soon understood why starting at a corner of the wall would be best. Every guard on the outside of the wall patrolled in the same direction, moving clockwise around the perimeter. When a guard rounded the corner, they would be out of sight of the guard behind them for a few seconds, and so would Mantis, Crane and Monkey when they moved in to take him out.

And that was how they took out all one hundred and twenty three guards in under ten minutes.

"Smart plan, Crane." Mantis said quietly one they added the last soldier to the pile. "So much for winging it, though."

"Now for the towers." Crane said.

"We should go for that tower next to the tall tower by the moat." Monkey pointed to the moat that stretched between the residential building and the tower. "There's a bridge we can use as cover."

"Towers." Mantis grimaced. "I hate towers."

"And I hate bring drugged." Crane said. "So shut up."

Mantis wondered if he was ever going to live that down.

They silently climbed their chosen tower and each swiftly took out a guard. Then they leapt across to the tower and through a window, ending up in an empty room with walls covered in paintings.

Mantis stopped and turned to look back out the window. "You hear that? Sounds like the war's started up again."

Monkey and Crane joined Mantis. They couldn't see, but they could hear the chaos stirring in the distant streets. "It's just like we thought." Mantis said. "Ember's creepy minions are stirring up trouble, and Long Feng's creepy minions have gone out to deal with it."

"Once the battle's over, they'll come back." Monkey said. "We should hurry." They found the stairs and descended the tower, and it soon became apparent that the building was empty. As they reached the third floor, Monkey stopped by the open window. "What's that?" He wondered aloud. A second later his face fell. Mantis hopped onto the windowsill and saw what he was looking at.

Farther down the moat was a blackened, charred building almost identical to the residential building. Mantis knew what it was the second he set eyes on it, and he looked away. It had been nearly thirty years since the late Tujiu had led the attempted assassination of the royal family, and the ensuing city-wide fire that claimed so many lives, including that of Xian's father, wife and son in that very building. Mantis had never known his father before his mother ate his head. He'd never married or had kids. He would probably never truly understand what Xian had gone through, and he never wanted to. He promised himself that he would save Xian's remaining surrogate family, no matter what it took.

"Guys." Crane said softly. Monkey and Mantis turned away from the window. Monkey was quiet for the rest of the way down. Hopping down the steps behind him, Mantis looked at Monkey's Dao swords, the ones that had belonged to his dead father. He wondered if Monkey was thinking about him right now.

Regardless, they reached the ground floor and carefully approached the exit doors. Mantis pushed aside his saddening thoughts, opened one of the doors by an inch and peeked through. All he saw was the stone bridge with the thick stone rails they would use as cover. He gave the all clear and they stepped through. Crouching low behind the rails, they crossed the bridge to the doors of the residential building.

This was the hard part. The royal family would no doubt be heavily guarded, and it was crucial that they take out every single guard without the alarm being sounded. Then there was the matter of the second stage of their plan, in which they would go to the central hall and take out Long Feng. There was so much that could go wrong.

Speaking of which, shouldn't something have already gone wrong by now? Wasn't this just a little too easy? Why was the building so empty?

Then they reached the sealed doors of the emperor's bedroom where Mei Ling said the family was being held, and there was no turning back.

Monkey grabbed one handle, and Crane grabbed the other.

"Ready?" Monkey whispered. "Three... two... one..."

They burst into the room.

They stopped dead.

They narrowed their eyes.

"Aw holy crapping crap on a rice cracker." Mantis groaned.

"Damn it all to crapping hell." Monkey cursed.

"Crap." Crane glowered.

On the wide bed sat a smirking, scarred Izumi holding a flashing blade to a fuming, gagged Mei Ling's throat. Long Feng was grinning from ear to ear as he stepped out from the balcony, flanked by four gorilla guards.

"Took you boys long enough. I've been waiting for hours." Izumi sneered.

"What are you complaining about?" Long Feng raised an eyebrow. "You got to sit on the comfy bed. Drop your weapons, lads."

"How, Long Feng?" Monkey asked coldly as he slowly discarded his swords.

"How?" Long Feng asked. "With a sample of Mei Ling's chi, it was ridiculously easy to find her. When our dear Izumi found her all alone in that cellar, we knew you were coming." He waved his arm, and one of the gorillas stepped forward with a two pairs of eight point acupressure cuffs and a small cage. "I hope you runts learned a very important lesson from this."

"One armed rhinos are jerks?" Mantis suggested snidely.

"Have more respect for a grunt."

* * *

Lady Hei Nuwang had a huge smile on her face when she visited Sutoraiki in his laboratory. "Why so cheerful, my lady?" Sutoraiki asked as he looked up from his work bench.

"Long Feng has just reported the successful capture of Masters Monkey, Mantis, Crane and Mei Ling." Hei Nuwang grabbed a chair and sat down.

"So Long Feng was right. Mei Ling was a spy." Sutoraiki returned to his work, examining a bright purple fluid in a flask.

"Yes. She is being interrogated as we speak, but we suspect she was working for the Masters' Council."

"And what's the news on the Master's Council?" Sutoraiki picked up two smaller bottles and mentally debated on which to apply to his concoction.

"They're not making it easy, and if Ember and the Dragon Warrior weren't top priority I would have pulled all our resources on an all out invasion. They're not important, anyway."

He chose the bottle on the right and applied two drops. The liquid brightened very slightly. "And what about the girl? With the utmost respect, my lady, you never did tell me why you ordered her to be moved to my old laboratory."

Hei Nuwang's smile disappeared. "And I won't tell you now. Not yet." She folded her arms. "Anyway, she and the other prisoners are still missing. But our men are searching the mountains at this moment, so it'll only be a matter of time before they're found."

Sutoraiki put down his flask. "I hope so. I have heard some strange rumours about that place. Some of the guards have been speaking of malevolent apparitions, and some kind of creature crawling out of shadows."

"Then let us hope that our little runaways don't run into any malevolent apparitions." Hei Nuwang drawled with a wave of her paw. "Enough news from me. What about your own progress?"

"Going well." Sutoraiki held out the flask for her to see. "All I need is one more subject to test it on to make absolutely sure it will do what it is supposed too, and it will be ready for Ember."

"Oh, just use the tiger girl."

Sutoraiki blinked. "Not that I'm objecting, but isn't she supposed to be leverage?"

Hei Nuwang rolled her eyes. "You did remember to prepare an antidote for emergencies, didn't you?"

"Yes..." Sutoraiki inwardly cursed himself for forgetting. "So why on earth am I complaining?"

Hei Nuwang chuckled. "I'll have Izumi bring her in right away."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

The moment Hei Nuwang left the room, Sutoraiki set to work at once. He buzzed all over the room making preparations for Master Tigress's arrival. He made sure the cuffs on the table were still in foolproof condition. He gathered both the fluid and its antidote on his workbench. He pulled out some special tools, the ones with blades and hooks, just in case he felt like playing around with her a little. He doubted that Hei Nuwang would mind, so long as she was still alive when the time came to use her against the big fat panda.

Once he was done, he touched down on his bench and waited, smirking.

And then, somewhere close to his laboratory, he heard Izumi let out a scream that shook even him.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S NOT IN HER CELL?!"

 


	18. Separate Struggles

One little twig. That was all it took.

One little twig fallen from a guard's clothing was all Tigress needed to pick the locks on the cuffs and the door to her cell, and then she was quietly sneaking down a corridor poorly lit with tiny torches. Inexplicably, the first thought on her mind when she was free of cuffs for the first time in weeks was that she felt like noodles.

Tigress heard the oncoming guards before she saw them, and ducked into an empty cell. She held her breath and curled her paws into fists, just in case. The guards stopped just outside the door. Judging from the conversation that ensued, there were two of them.

"... Wow, that crazy cat's on the warpath. I hope we find Tigress soon."

"You're worried about Izumi? I'm more worried about what Lady Hei Nuwang will do!"

Lady Hei Nuwang. The leader of the Children of Nuwa had only visited Tigress twice since her capture. The first time was to inform her of their intent to use her to make the Dragon Warrior cooperate when the time came. The second time was to interrogate her on the possible whereabouts of Master Shifu and her friends. Both times Tigress had remained defiant, even in the face of her subtle threats and her... special abilities. She knew of no kung fu techniques that involved the manipulation of purple gemstones, but at the same time Hei Nuwang didn't look like any demon she had ever seen.

"Look, Tigress'll probably be heading for the nearest possible exit. That's upstairs. It's either that or the catacombs." He made a sound as if he had shuddered. "There's something spooky in that place."

"Upstairs it is then." His companion said at once. There were more footsteps, and then they were gone. Tigress pondered over what she had heard. If all the guards and their mothers had the same idea, then the upstairs exit was a no go, even if she had the option of fighting her way through.

With a sigh, Tigress started looking for the catacombs, wondering what it was about that place that the guards found so spooky.

* * *

Stupid.

_Stupid._

_Stupid!_

Po cursed himself over and over as he vaulted over abandoned carts and toppled barrels in a desperate bid to escape his pursuers. Two dozen glassy-eyed citizens the last time he looked back. What scared him more than anything was how quiet they were. They didn't shout or grunt like the soldiers did. All he could hear were their footsteps as they chased him silently down the cluttered, narrow street. Po had been too determined to reach the HQ, too distracted by his fear for Tigress and his fear of Ember, to see or hear the signs that those weirdos were nearby. Creepy murmurs and fleeing soldiers. How the heck did he miss that?

There were way too many of them, and all of them were innocent, mind controlled citizens. Po had to lose them, and fast. Once again his own weight was acting against him, and before he knew it he was panting and sweating as if he was climbing ten sets of stairs.

"Okay, time out!" He yelled without looking back. "Time out!" The citizens had no intention of stopping, and Po was reaching the end of the street. All that was there was a tall building with a heavy door. If it was locked, he was screwed.

The last obstacle was three fallen barrels lined up on the ground. Po vaulted right over them and slammed his shoulder in the door. It flew right open. Po stumbled inside, slammed the door shut and looked frantically around for something to block it with. Spying a tall wooden cabinet, Po quickly shoved it against the door. Seconds later he heard people banging against it on the other side. "Booyeah!" Po laughed. "Can't touch this, can you? I'm the biggest blur you're never gonna see!" The banging grew more intense. That cabinet wouldn't hold for long, even with the two chairs and sack of radishes that Po flung against it for good measure. It was time to leave.

He raced through two rooms and out the other side. The next two streets were mercifully empty. The third opened out into a huge square, at the centre of which was his destination. Again, Po wondered why Ember would lead him to the HQ of all places. Why was she leading him to anywhere in the first place?

Then Po heard a shout and looked to his right. Far down the square, an un-brainwashed soldier was stumbling away from a large group of citizens. He didn't get far. Ten seconds after Po spotted them, the boar's pursuers were upon him. Po ducked behind the rickshaw cart he'd conveniently stopped beside and cringed, waiting for the poor guy's death screams. After five seconds, Po steeled himself and peeked out from behind the cart. Two of the citizens were holding the trembling boar by the arms. The rest had stepped away, except for three that slowly approached their prey.

Po's jaw dropped as he recognised the one in front. It was Top Dog.

* * *

Tigress had searched eight corridors, checked twenty-two rooms, and taken out ten soldiers before she found the entrance to the catacombs, a single white door at the end of the eighth corridor. She had a single moment of doubt, that whatever was down there was more than even she could handle, before quietly pulling the door open and entering.

There was no lighting in the stairs leading down into the catacombs whatsoever. Tigress looked behind her to make sure she hadn't been seen, and then closed the door.

Her natural night vision took over from there. Tigress slowly made her way down the cold stone steps. Her heavy breath was loud in her ears, and everything else was utterly quiet. She grew aware of how sore she was. Her chafed wrists were stinging. There were bruises on her body from when she'd made a snide remark about Izumi's face. To top it all off, she hadn't slept properly in days. She rubbed her eyes and carried on, reaching the bottom of the stairs minutes later. The tunnel before her was naturally formed, the rough walls and ceiling shining with wetness.

There were three things on Tigress's mind now. One, Po had escaped the other prison and was now somewhere in the Imperial City. Two, she had to find him so she could properly apologise for deliberately delaying their first date. Three, she really hoped she hadn't just walked into a maze.

Much to her relief, it soon became apparent that the catacombs stretched into a single dark path, albeit with many twists and turns. The ground itself seemed to slope downwards, and every now and then she came across a short set of steps she needed to descend. Eventually Tigress began to worry over where the hell she was going. She moved quickly, even though her ribs were starting to hurt again. She would have to repay Izumi if she ever saw that crazy bobtail again.

The path seemed to never end. Tigress went down the umpteenth set of stairs. Turned right. Travelled fifteen feet before turning left. More stairs. She was going deeper and deeper. She turned left again, then right. The pain was getting worse. Yet another set of stairs. She went straight for a while before finding more stairs, this time going upwards. Each step sent a stab of pain shooting through her body. She reached the top and ended up in a corridor that looked manmade. She turned right and stopped in her tracks.

At first she thought she was looking at soldiers, but these things were not flesh and blood. They looked like terracotta warriors, except they were not usually sculpted in such erratic, twisted poses, lacking eyes or holding rusted, broken daggers. There seemed to be at least thirty of them, all blocking the widened corridor before her. Tigress was gasping now. Her ribs were torturing her, but she was more worried about the warriors as they suddenly started twitching. The harsh sound of clay scraping against clay filled the air. As one they turned to face her.

* * *

Top Dog had the same glazed look in his eyes as all the other brainwashed citizens, including the two firmly holding the struggling boar soldier in place. The boar yelled and kicked, but even from his hiding place Po could see that it was no use.

Soon Top Dog was leaning over their prisoner. Like his fellow minions, he didn't say a word. He only gazed down at the boar with the subtlest of glares. Po had a sudden impulse to look away, but a morbid curiosity stopped him.

Then Top Dog's eyes started to glow red. They glowed as fiercely as the eyeholes of Ember's dragon mask. He reached out and touched the boar between the eyes.

Po covered his mouth in horror as the boar started convulsing in the citizens' iron grip, Top Dog's paw never leaving his skin. His eyes twitched and rolled in their sockets. Then the convulsing stopped and the boar went limp. The citizens set him down on the pavement and slowly but surely started to scatter. Po kept himself crouched on all four behind the cart as he stared at the still boar, wondering what the heck they had done to kill him.

Then the boar slowly pushed himself up, glazed eyes staring at nothing. It was like watching a pack of hopping ghosts turning a living being into their own kind.

Po swallowed back bile. He turned his gaze down to the pavement beneath him as he struggled to take in what he had just witnessed. He would never let them do the same thing to him. Never.

Suddenly there was a shout. Po looked up to see the boar fully upright and pointing right at the cart he was hiding behind. The head of every mind controlled citizen in the square turned in his direction.

Crap, crap, crap, crap, _crap!_

Po pushed himself up off the ground and ran for the nearest building, the footsteps of dozens of pursuing citizens scarily loud in his ears. He reached the building, burst through the door, slammed it shut and pushed a nearby cupboard against it.

Seconds later the door trembled from the force of many fists pounding at the wood. "Ember what did you do?!" Po yelled as he looked for another way out. There was no other door, and the stairs were blocked by debris. The culprit of the destruction, an intact cannonball, lay nestled in the charred wood. Po rushed to one of the tiny windows and looked out. There were so many of them making their way to his location. He saw Top Dog approaching from the direction of the HQ. Behind him stalked an armoured elephant carrying an appropriately sized axe.

"Aw man!" Po yelled. He heard a thud behind him and spun round. Several rabbits had forced their way in through another window and were advancing with what looked like crystal knives.

Po went into his stance. This was going to suck.

* * *

Terracotta warriors. That must be what these creatures were. Except Tigress had never heard of a living terracotta warrior that moved so strangely. If they weren't made of clay, she would have guessed that they were drunk.

The clay crocodiles moved so slowly that they seemed almost curious about the panting, staring tiger. Her arm felt torn between staying wrapped around her torso and raising itself with a fist at the ready. She had eavesdropped on many a guard whispering about the alchemic experiments the inner circle dabbled in, but this... "Who are these people?" She muttered.

She took a step back, contemplating going back upstairs. Normally she would never dream of walking from a fight, but terracotta warriors were notoriously difficult to defeat, and she was injured who knows how badly.

The warriors were getting close. Tigress instinctively went into her stance, but the movement sent another wave of pain through her body. She held her breath, fighting back a cry.

A heavy silence fell. The eyeless warriors had stopped dead, frozen in place as if they were ordinary statues. What in the world?

Tigress exhaled. She cautiously stepped forward. Her ribs throbbed and she grunted.

The warriors in front twitched and went still again.

It took Tigress less than a second to understand. Sound.

Perhaps she wouldn't need her fists to get out of this.

The warriors starting moving once more and then Tigress heard what they heard; voices coming from the tunnel behind her. The guards were on her trail.

There was a nasty scraping sound. The warriors were on the move. Now Tigress was caught between a rock and a hard place... unless... it was incredibly risky... but nevertheless she pressed herself hard against the tunnel wall, the stone cold against her back.

Their focus entirely on the sound of approaching trespassers, the clay warriors trudged right past her, more than one passing within inches of her body. Tigress held her breath, fists clenched in case she was caught.

Then the last one traipsed by, and Tigress was clear. She didn't dare make a sound as she rushed to the door the warriors had been guarding.

She finally let herself smile as she pushed the door open and stepped outside into fresh air. Everywhere she saw there was grey rock and the occasionally tree. The ground itself was covered in tiny light grey pebbles. Distant mountains surrounded the area. She must be on a mountain herself. Tigress turned to face the door she had escaped from. She looked straight up. If the massive building looming over her wasn't as black as obsidian she would have been convinced she was staring at the fortress of white fortitude, which was still under imperial control in the Himalayas.

Tigress had not seen this coming. _Báisè de Gāngyì_ had a twin.

* * *

Po grabbed the wrist of the first rabbit to reach him and squeezed. The rabbit was forced to drop his weapon, which he now saw was another piece of ice. He took down the rest of the rabbits with no trouble, but he was in no way prepared for the giant axe that tore right through the wall and nearly took off his arm at the elbow. Po tripped over a fallen chair and fell flat on his butt. Dazed, he watched as the elephant kicked down the rest of the wall and crouched low to get inside the destroyed room. Po rolled to the side and scrambled to his feet, his brain screaming for him to run. Obeying, Po ducked under the elephant's hand as he lunged for him and ran back out into the square.

The dozens of other citizens were instantly upon him. Po had to break a few noses to avoid being pinned to the ground. "Sorry! Sorry! It's for your own good, you know!" Po somersaulted over the majority of the horde, landing between two buffalos. Po wrapped an arm around one buffalo's neck and then jumped up to kick the second in the head. As the second buffalo collapsed Po threw the first to the ground and took off running. Ember wanted him to get to the HQ, so that was where he was going to go.

He made it nine steps before a rhino charged in from the side, sending him flying. He skidded painfully across the ground, rolling to his feet just in time to see the elephant rushing at him. The elephant had discarded his axe, instead coming at Po with arms raised to grab him. Po clenched his teeth. "Okay, that's the way you want it? That's the way you're gonna get it!"

He'd been practising ever since the Himalayas. Po took a deep breath... mustered up all his energy... directed it all into his right paw... and sent a glowing ball of Hero's Chi right into the elephant's chest. The elephant flew straight over the heads of the civilians and crashed into another building.

"Woohoo!" Po yelled, but still felt bad as he turned his glowing paw on the closest advanced civilians. He sent three rabbits flying into the recently turned boar, knocking him down. Then he sent a chi ball at a pair of pigs. Then a horse who looked a lot like Head of Chief District Superintendent Chang. With each golden projectile Po's limbs grew heavier. The next chi ball struck Top Dog right in the head.

With that last attack, Po fell to his knees, his energy spent.

The civilians stopped in their tracks.

Po's vision blurred, but he could make out the civilians as they turned their heads to the distant royal palace.

The boar soldier slowly stood back up. "Yes, mistress. We will leave him to you."

Dropping the pieces of ice they had been holding, they left the weary panda without so much as a glance, disappearing into the street on the far side of the square. Po stayed where he was, too tired to wonder why they stopped attacking just as suddenly as they started, or why they were heading for the palace. He was just glad that they were gone and he could finally catch a break.

He heard a groan. Top Dog was getting up. He rubbed his head, his eyes pained but alert. "Dragon Warrior?" He asked, blinking. "Did you just hit me in the head with a chi ball?"

 


	19. Awakening

_Thirty minutes before the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_On the outside, Shifu was the stoic, controlled kung fu master he should be. Inside, he was out of his mind with worry. The sun had set, the stars were out, and the noodle shop was closed. Su should have been back by now. She should have been back long before the sky had turned blue._

_He curtly returned every bow the villagers gave him as he half ran, half walked down the main street towards the Dragon Warrior Fan Clubhouse. He swore if those rowdy children had been keeping her after hours, their parents would be the first to know._

_It had taken all his authority as grandmaster to stop Viper from coming down here herself, so she and the rest of the Five could go and look for Qiang, Pong and Anwu. They also should have arrived at the Jade Palace before the sun set. The dread in Shifu's heart grew worse as he reached the door to the clubhouse. Three pandas missing, and now possibly their daughter, too. He didn't know if it was the power of inner peace or just plain old gut instinct, but he sensed that something terrible was about to happen._

_He knocked on the door, but didn't need his powerful ears to know that the little building was empty. A surge of fear quickened his heart. He waited fifteen seconds before turning away, just as child Pong's burly father came rushing towards him from his house across the street. "Master Shifu, thank goodness you're here! Someone has attacked our children!"_

_Shifu was struck speechless. Pong's father kept speaking urgently. "He broke my son's arm and tried to kidnap that girl you're looking after! She ran off before he could get her, and I'm betting she's back at the palace. I need you and the Dragon Warrior to find who did this before he gets away!"_

_"_ _Take me to the children." Shifu was barely able to keep his voice steady. "I need them to tell me exactly what happened."_

_"_ _But Pong's being seen to right now. Besides, you need to go after-"_

_"_ _Su hasn't come home. I need to see them_ now _."_

_Pong's father turned pale and he escorted Shifu back across the street into his house. Pong was in his bedroom with the other children and their parents, the bedroom covered in Dragon Warrior merchandise, the village doctor currently putting his left arm in a splint. The other children looked unhurt, but the sight of the splint had Shifu fuming._

_The doctor finished his work and stepped away. "I'll come back tomorrow morning. Make sure he sleeps."_

_As Pong's distraught mother escorted the doctor out, Shifu sat down on the bed opposite Pong. On the other side, Pong's fellow club members sat in shaken silence. "Nothing else broken, I hope?" He said half-jokingly. Instead of cheering up a little, Pong sniffled. "I know it hurts, Pong, but I need you to-"_

_"_ _I-it's not that." Pong rubbed his eyes with his good arm. "He got Su, didn't he?"_

_"_ _Who are you talking about?"_

_"_ _Some panda jerk who said he was Su's big brother. And we believed him." The rabbit girl sobbed as her mother comforted her. "We believed him. How stupid can we get?!"_

_Shifu knew for a fact that Su had no siblings. "Pong, please tell me what happened."_

_Pong told him about earlier this afternoon, when Su arrived at the meeting minutes before the red eyed panda did, and the scary fight that ensued. According to Pong, he had never seen Su so full of rage. After she had given the panda the Su-ker Punch... "The what?" Shifu asked._

_"_ _The Su-ker Punch. Su first used it when she punched that evil fox guy in the face." Pong smiled a little for the first time. "We've been calling it that ever since."_

_"_ _Su-ker Punch. Well, that's a new one."_

_"_ _Anyway, Su punched the fake brother, but then got this really bad tummy ache and ran out. The jerk went after her. I tried to stop him and... I failed. The Dragon Warrior's gonna be so mad at me." He lowered his head._

_"_ _Mad that you stepped in to help Su when she was in trouble? I highly doubt it." Pong lifted his head again. "And that was the last time you saw either of them?_

_The boy nodded. Shifu stood back up. He had to go, now, before Su or the red eyed charlatan got too far. He turned to Pong's father. "Take care of them. And don't leave the house. I don't think these streets are safe at the moment."_

_He sped off without another word, out the house and back to the clubhouse, hoping to pick up a trail. Inside, the single room was tidy, aside from a wooden sword on the floor that Pong must have tried to fight Su's attempted kidnapper with. His eyes caught a dull golden flash beneath the table with all the Dragon Warrior 'artefacts', and widened as he realised that it was Su's battered lucky coin. He crouched, went under the table and lifted it off the dusty floor._ Su, where are you? _He started wiping the specks of dust from the gold medallion when he suddenly fell back so violently his head struck the floor with a bang. Dazed, it took a second for Shifu to realise that someone had pulled him back out by the collar, and that someone was now pinning him with one paw on the chest, red eyes narrowed in hostility._

_"_ _Stay away from her, Shifu. You are not worthy of her. None of you are."_

_"_ _Who do you think you..." Shifu trailed off. His ears were ringing._

_The red eyed panda plucked the coin from Shifu's fingers. "I'll take that. I'll give it to her myself when I find her."_

_Shifu clenched both his teeth and his fist. Then the sounds of battle reached his ears. The red eyed panda grinned. "Perfect timing. See you around, Shifu... or maybe not."_

* * *

The memory of the red eyed panda running out the door with Su's coin was the first thing on Shifu's mind when he woke up in the ornately decorated bedroom. His side ached, and there was a stale taste in his mouth. He stared up at the ceiling, taking in the woodwork and paint. He remembered the ceiling, having caught glimpses of it as he slipped in and out of consciousness. How long had he been in this bed? Where was he?

It took a great effort to sit up. His arms and legs were reluctant to move, and the barely healed injuries on his body were tormenting him. Better him than Viper. Speaking of which, where was she? Where were Tigress, Po and the others? How had the battle ended? Shifu had so many questions, but he wasn't going to get them lying in this great big bed.

He tried to turn, but failed. Biting back frustration, Shifu closed his eyes and let the energy of the universe flow through him. It eased the pain of his ribs and strengthened his limbs. After five minutes he was out of bed, smiling. Anything was possible when you had inner peace.

He strode up to the big wooden door and shoved.

"Ouch!"

The door struck something on the other side, and then from around it stepped a black-eyed pig carrying a roll of fresh bandages.

Woops.

"I do beg your pardon." Shifu said, embarrassed that the first thing he'd done upon waking up was hit his doctor in the face with a flat piece of wood.

"At least you're up." The doctor rubbed his eye, the other scrutinising at his patient. "Please go back to bed and I will examine you."

Shifu obediently returned to the bed. As the doctor removed the bandages beneath his robe and lightly touched the healed puncture wounds, Shifu did some questioning. "Where am I? Are my students alright?"

"You're in Gongmen City. You've been out of it since the valley invasion two months ago."

 _Two months?_ Shifu was stunned. "Are my students alright?"

"More or less. Masters Ox and Croc can explain everything once I get them." He straightened up. "You have scarring, but it won't be permanent. Honestly, I'm amazed that you're out of bed so soon. Once we get some food in you, you can leave."

"Thank you, and again I am very sorry."

The doctor was a good sport, accepting the apology and leaving without another word. He returned minutes later with a bowl of soup and the two founding members of the Master's Council. Storming Ox and Croc looked both troubled and relieved, but mostly the latter. "Finally, some good news." Ox was in the middle of saying as they entered. "Good to see you're awake, grandmaster."

"Where. Are. My. Students?" Shifu asked slowly.

Ox and Croc looked at each other. "They're out saving China, as usual. Well, most of them are."

Shifu snapped his spoon in half as Ox face palmed. "Really? You start with that? Calm down, Master, we'll tell you everything."

Shifu listened raptly as Ox and Croc started explaining. He sighed in relief when told that the Valley of Peace had been left alone since the battle, even though his students had been forced to flee with their wounded master while he was unconscious. He was aghast when told that Po and Tigress had been captured by the enemy, and the same thing had almost certainly happened to Qiang, Su and her parents. He felt disgust and anger when told about the Children of Nuwa and what they had been doing to China's soldiers. Finally, he felt both pride and worry when told what Viper, Monkey, Crane, Mantis and Boar were doing at the moment.

"There's something else." Ox said. "The red eyed creeps hanging around here have left. We think they're heading to the imperial city to help with the conflict there."

"Gods, I think we're at war." Shifu muttered. He set down his empty bowl and got back out of bed. "I can't stay here. I have to help my students." Since he'd only woken less than an hour ago, Ox and Croc naturally objected. "No arguments. I'm leaving tonight."

Ox had mentioned a prison. One of their spies had eavesdropped on some of the un-brainwashed soldiers, and heard of a secret prison owned by the Children of Nuwa that had been destroyed by Ember very recently. A kung fu master and three prisoners matching the description of Master Boar and the three missing pandas had been spotted fleeing into the surrounding forest, their whereabouts unknown for now.

_If I can just find them before the enemy does, maybe I will find Po, Tigress and Su as well... what on earth did that mad panda want with her? Could she be the key to figuring out the Order's plan, and what Ember really is? I need answers. I need to find her._

Croc folded his arms. "I guess we can't stop you. We'll stay here and gather resources to take back the Imperial City. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to the prison to find Viper and Boar." Shifu said. "And not just to help them. I have a feeling I will find answers there."

 _"_ _Stay away from her, Shifu. You are not worthy of her. None of you are."_ The red eyed panda had warned. Somehow those words had disturbed Shifu more than the threat of Ember herself. If he had or did anything to hurt Su, Shifu would tear him in two.


	20. Waters of Oblivion

Po could not have been happier to see the sun as it slowly rose into the orange sky that still shed its glowing embers. He leaned on the windowsill on the top floor of the HQ, watching the dazzling, surreal scene as behind him, Top Dog rested on his own desk. He'd blacked out seconds after Po's hitting him with a chi ball somehow broke Ember's control over him, and the panda had had to carry him into the building. It hadn't been that hard, actually, mainly because no brainwashed soldiers or citizens had shown up since the civilians who attacked him in the square had disappeared. Po had welcomed the peace and quiet that followed. It had given him time to enjoy the bag of cookies he'd discovered in a kitchen he'd taken a shortcut through, and use one of the more undamaged bathrooms. The rest of the night had gotten a bit boring, though. With Top Dog out for the count, he had no-one to talk to. He'd started talking to himself, eventually, but it was no fun compared to talking to Monkey, or Mantis, or Tigress...

_Tigress._

Po rubbed his tired eyes and opened the fist he held out before him. The auburn light flashed across the Heart of China he was holding. _Tigress... I won't stop until I find you. I'll save you from Ember. I promise._

Po heard a groan. Top Dog had come round. The panda turned to see him sitting up on the desk, rubbing his head. "Please don't arrest me." Po begged again.

Top Dog didn't reply for a few seconds. "I'm not going to arrest you. Whatever you did broke the connection, and I thank you for that."

Po laughed nervously and rubbed his head. "Oh great. You have no idea how much I hate prison- wait, what do you mean 'connection'?"

Top Dog blinked a few times. "It probably looked to you like Ember had brainwashed us all. It's a bit more complicated than that. Dragon Warrior, I have a jug of water and a cup in the corner. Can you get it for me?"

Po brought him the jug and cup. Top Dog poured the water and took a long sip. Po sat on the desk beside him. _Kreee..._ the desk crumpled, and Po fell backward onto the floorboards, Top Dog rolling down the surface and landing on his belly. Po stared up at him, cringing. "Sorry."

"Never mind the stupid desk." Top Dog, before muttering under his breath, "Even if it _was_ imported from Japan." He got up and went to his chair. Po self-consciously went for the chair on the other side of the desk with the butt-sized dent in it. Just as he was sitting down, Top Dog's paw shot out. "Don't! Just... don't."

Po slowly sat down on the floor. "So... connection. What do you mean?"

"I mean she didn't take over our minds in a conventional sense." Top Dog looked down at the cup he held in both hands. "Master Eagle told me about the sleepwalking incidents at White Fortitude. Do you remember, Dragon Warrior?" Po nodded, suppressing a shiver. "I remember having a similar experience before you freed me. I remember some strange dream in which I was in the imperial city, just like now. Except it was different. Embers were falling from the sky, and the sky was the colour of fire. A voice in my head was telling me to block the secret passage in my office so only Ember could open and close it. At first I'd refused, but then-"

Top Dog stopped. His face contorted and his paws squeezed the cup. "Then what?" Po asked, taken aback by the sudden change in mood.

"Pain." Top Dog snarled.

"She hurt you?" Po asked.

"Not my pain. Her pain. Her pain, her rage, her grief. I felt it all as if it were my own. It _was_ my own. The connection, it wasn't just Ember entering my mind, it was also me entering hers. I felt it all. What that evil woman did to her, the hell she put her through. I knew I had to punish them. I had to make them pay!"

Top Dog's face slackened as he noticed Po's stare. He shook his head and took another sip. "I'm sorry. I suppose I'll have to visit the monks once this is over."

"If Ember hadn't sent you all to kill me, I'd feel sorry for her." Po said. He actually did feel sorry, but he couldn't let that sympathy cloud his judgement, not when China was at stake.

"We weren't trying to kill you." Top Dog said. "Ember needs you alive, so you can remember. It's why we attacked you with ice weapons. Perhaps she thought combining ice and danger would move things along."

Po rolled his eyes and groaned. "It'd be so much easier if she'd just tell me what she wants me to remember."

"She can't."

"Worst excuse ever."

"No, she can't. I've seen into her memories, and do you know what I found?" Po waited in silence. "Nothing."

"Huh?"

"You heard me. Nothing. She remembers nothing from before she awoke inside that stone casket beneath the fortress. But when she sees you, something stirs. She sees flashes of a forest in winter, and a little boy wearing a big red scarf. You are the red eye on the white peacock's tail feathers. Something about you is bringing something back, and she's not going to leave you alone until she finds out what it is."

Po had no idea what to think. What Top Dog was saying was beyond crazy, even crazier than his theory that Mantis was part of a secret society of miniature guys performing nefarious experiments to make themselves taller, a theory that was swiftly disproven with four tiny legs to the face. Yet even so, Po felt that it was possible. He himself should know more than anyone.

He swiftly decided to change the subject.

"Top Dog, it's been two months since the Valley of Peace was attacked. Have you heard anything about Master Shifu and my friends?"

Top Dog's eyes hardened. "Po, your friends are in trouble, Monkey, Crane and Mantis to be specific. They infiltrated the royal palace to try and rescue the royal family, but Long Feng used Master Mei Ling to force them to surrender. They're being held prisoner in the central hall right now."

"Not for long." In a flash Po was on his feet, and in another so was Top Dog.

"No, Dragon Warrior! Not yet. Listen to me. Ember sent a message through our connection before you severed it. She's launching an assault on the palace when the sun goes down. Your friends are not her enemy, so she will not harm them as long as they don't give her a reason to. You're permitted to use the attack as a distraction to free them."

"She's _permitting_ me?" Po stood with his arms akimbo. "Nobody can permit the Dragon Warrior to do anything except the Dragon Warrior! Except for Master Shifu." He curled the side of his mouth. "And the Emperor. And my dad... and my dad number two..."

"Dragon Warrior, please just do as she says. It's too dangerous not to."

"Alright, alright." Po said, even though waiting was the last thing he wanted to do."

"You should get some rest." Top Dog said after a sigh of relief. "You look like you haven't slept since you got here."

"Kind of hard to when you got a crazy dragon lady breathing down your neck."

Top Dog chuckled humourlessly. "I look forward to exacting justice on her when I get the chance."

"You and me too, pal." Po's chuckle was much more light hearted. "Hey, that's something we have in common. We both like exacting fists of justice on the forces of evil faces!"

"You use fists. I use warrants." Top Dog said. "But I still intend to have Ember executed."

Po balked. "Why do you have to be so... harsh? Couldn't we at least _try_ to imprison her?"

"Like Tai Lung? Like Su Wu? Leave her to suffer alone in some customised prison with nothing but her own inner torment? I think Ember has seen enough caskets. I know I have." Top Dog looked away, a haunted, faraway look in his eyes. Po wondered what he was thinking about, and also if perhaps he had a point. "Get some sleep, Po. When the sun goes down, there's a secret trapdoor in that corner that will take you to the royal palace."

Po found a thick wooden chair that supported his weight in another room, brought it back to the office and sat down. He closed his eyes, but it was a long time before he could get to sleep.

* * *

Shifu's inner peace had granted him many gifts. He could see light in the deepest cave. He could travel a hundred miles in less than a day, as he was doing now. If he sat down and meditated for long enough, he could feel the universe in motion around him.

Shifu reached the mountains in record time, arriving at his destination right before sunset, coming to a halt on a stone hill when he caught his first sight of the smouldering prison ruins, silhouetted against the bright red sun. "My gods..."

Ember had done this through sheer destructive power. Just from looking at the results, Shifu was once again having second thoughts about allowing his students to try and deal with her. That would be something to discuss once he found them.

Speaking of which, at least one of them was somewhere in the surrounding forest. He should be looking for Viper and the others right now, but something was telling him to go to the prison. Everything above ground was destroyed, but perhaps everything underground hadn't been touched. Perhaps there were survivors in there, prisoners and guards. It was his obligation as protector of China to look.

And so Shifu made his way to the smoking ruin, curiously not coming across any soldiers on his way, quickly finding a way in through a peculiar hole in the wall. It was peculiar in that it didn't look broken through so much as melted through.

It was a stroke of luck that he found himself in a spiral stone stairway leading downwards, one that aside from pieces broken off the steps was intact. He silently made his way downwards, keeping a tight grip on his staff in case there were soldiers waiting at the bottom. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he found only a wide, empty corridor. Even the small red panda's footsteps echoed in the vast darkness.

The corridor was as short as the corridor in the student barracks, and had only one door on each side. Shifu tried the door on his left, found it locked and kicked it down.

At once he knew that this corridor and its adjoining rooms were all there was of the underground area. This hall alone had to be half the length and width of the entire prison, and was positively stuffed with wooden shelves that in turn were positively stuffed with bottles of a wide variety of colours and sizes. Fortunately all the shelves were gathered at both sides of the hall, giving Shifu a clear view of the other side. His keen eyes caught a big black cupboard bearing a paper sign. When he walked over to the cupboard, he could read what was on it: _for the eyes of the Lady Hei Nuwang and Sutoraiki only._

Shifu didn't need his instincts to know that he had to know what was in there. The cupboard was locked, but a fist through the keyhole solved that problem. Pulling both doors open, he found several more bottles, all small and identical. More than half the bottles were labelled: _Waters of Oblivion, by Meng Po_ , and the remainder were labelled: _Antidote for Waters of Oblivion_. There was also a scroll with the recipe for both concoctions.

 _Meng Po_... Shifu knew that name. She was a deity who lived in the underworld, well known for her Five Flavoured Tea of Forgetfulness. When a soul was ready to be reincarnated, they were required to drink the tea so they would lose all memories of their past life. _But what on earth does Meng Po have to do with world domination? And if this really is that fabled potion, how did the Children of Nuwa get their hands on it?_

Shifu took one bottle of each, knowing that the Master's Council would want to know about this. As for the recipe, he tossed it into one of the torches lighting the room so it would no longer remain in the wrong hands. He doubted that Meng Po would disapprove.

Now something was telling him to check the room on the other side. Surprisingly the other room was only half the size of the first, and the shelves were stocked with scrolls. A second black cupboard stood in the centre, and Shifu gained access just as easily. Inside was a single scroll on one shelf. Shifu cautiously unrolled it.

He had met enough alchemists in his career as a kung fu master to know when he was looking at one of their diagrams. On the fresh paper was a series of seven sequential illustrations depicting a very strange process. The first illustration was a green urn decorated with cicada imagery. The second had the lid removed, and what looked like light blue smoke rising from inside the urn. The third had a black-silhouetted shape rising from inside, as did the fourth and fifth. The sixth had the figure standing to the side of the urn. The seventh had the figure wearing a mask.

"What is this?" Shifu said to the scroll. Madness. That's what this was. All the same, he now had a better understanding of what sort of experiments the Children of Nuwa had been conducting, but it wasn't enough. He needed someone who could and would give him the answers he needed.

Shifu tucked the scroll into his robe and made his way back to the stairs. He still had a viper to find.


	21. Into the Woods

They spread out and headed west, in the direction of Viper and Su's crash landing. Boar had instructed that they split into pairs: He and Su's father, Pong, would search to their right. Qiang and Anwu would search to the left. As for Viper, her ribs were still too badly damaged for her to move around on her own, so Anwu let the snake rest on her shoulders. She could smell the burnt dust in Anwu's fur, which was so close to Viper's face it overpowered the smells of the forest. She did her best to ignore the pain, keeping her eyes open for Su or any of the soldiers undoubtedly searching for them.

On Boar's instruction they avoided the bushes as best as they could, and tried to keep their footfalls as quiet as the grave. He had also forbidden Su's parents from calling out for their daughter. "If you don't keep your voices down, you won't live to find her." Was his reasoning.

"How are you feeling?" Anwu asked after an eternity.

"Like Po sat on me." Viper said.

Anwu didn't even smile. "Why did this happen, Master Viper? Why did my baby have to get mixed up in this mess?"

Viper's eyes stung. "I'm so sorry. We never should have brought her to the palace, we never meant to-"

"Don't." Anwu cut her off and looked away. "Don't apologise. She was supposed to return, anyway."

"What are you talking about?"

Anwu stopped dead. "I said too much. Let's just find my daughter."

Viper curled her body around the side of Anwu's head so she was looking her in the eye. "Is there something about Su you didn't tell us?"

Anwu looked back pleadingly. Qiang was glancing at them. "Please, Viper. Once we find her and get back to Master Shifu, I'll tell you everything. I promise."

Viper slowly returned to her shoulder, and that was when she saw it. "There!" She said, pointing with her tail. "That's where I landed."

They rush to the big chunk of stone and the dirty trench it had formed. Of course there was no sign of Su. Viper repeated what she had told them in the cave, about how she felt Su leave her side before they hit the ground. Boar's expression looked grim. "We should follow the trench. She might have landed in a tree somewhere along the stone's path. Spread out and keep quiet."

Anwu and Viper stood there a little longer, staring at the crack, mud splattered stone, until Qiang put a paw on Anwu's other shoulder and gently urged them onward. "This is neither of your faults." He said to them.

Above their heads, the sun had disappeared behind the mountains, the sky steadily turning from a royal blue to jet-black. There was no moon tonight, so they didn't even have the bluish white lunar glow to see with. Soon it would be too dark to see anything without torches, which Boar had also forbade them from using. Viper hoped Su was wearing bright colours.

The dried dirt crunched softly beneath their feet as they walked alongside the trench. When the reached the end of it, they continued in a straight line, following the stone's trajectory. They kept their eyes on the trees, but they could see nothing through the leaves and branches. Viper kept her eyes to the ground for any signs of black and white. Her ribs hurt. It was hard to breathe. But she kept searching.

Boar was thirty paces ahead of them, furtively watching out for soldiers. Pong had moved further right, pushing aside bushes and grass for any traces. Qiang had fallen behind. Anwu looked nervously at her husband. "Maybe we shouldn't spread ourselves out like this."

"Why?" Viper asked.

"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about this place."

"If there's soldiers about, Boar will take them out."

Anwu didn't reply to this, instead keeping her tired eyes ahead, her mouth a thin line out of worry.

Suddenly she stopped, her eyes widening, and bent down. Keeping her balance on the panda's shoulder, Viper listened. She heard the nervous breathing of the other members of their search party, the sounds of dirt and grass being crushed as they walked, a tiny gasp from Anwu as she grabbed the object on the ground...

Other than that, nothing. No distant voices, no faraway footsteps. Viper looked around, but she didn't even see any torches flickering in the distance. They weren't that far from the ruined prison, and with three inexperienced pandas they hadn't been exactly stealthy, and yet the world around them was still. Where were the soldiers who were supposedly searching for them? Shouldn't they have at least run into a scout by now? _Anwu is right. Something is really off about this place._

Anwu straightened. In her paws was a knife with a blade so thin and short it wouldn't piece a man's heart. The handle was made of roughly carved wood wrapped up in thin rope. Hardly part of a soldier's weaponry.

Anwu seemed to make a decision, and put the little dagger in her pocket. "What? You've got fangs."

* * *

Qiang saw Anwu put the dagger away in a pocket, and realised that he didn't have a weapon himself. Fortunately in a forest such as this they weren't hard to come by, and after a few more steps he found a thick fallen branch.

He didn't know who he should be worried for more, Su or Po. On one hand, Su was just a little girl and less able to defend herself, and was out here alone in the middle of a dark, dangerous forest. On the other, Po was his son, his only son, who until a mere couple of years ago Qiang had feared died along with his wife. Qiang knew he wouldn't be able to handle losing him again. The mere thought made him tremble. He had already promised himself that he wouldn't let Pong and Anwu go through that same horror.

With anger he thought of that day two months ago, when he, Pong and Anwu had been strolling down the road to the village when they were ambushed by a group of about nine people. When Qiang fought back, their masked leader personally knocked him out cold. When he woke up, he was in that blasted cell, and the cut on his head had taken a whole month to heal. If he ever saw that thug again he would return the favour.

The bushes to his left quivered. Qiang's eyes narrowed, and he held his branch out in front of him. He stepped toward the bush, ready to pound anything that leapt out from those leaves.

The bushes didn't move again. All the same, Qiang reached out with the branch and pushed down one of the outer branches. His eyes, by then adjusted to the darkness, caught red fabric.

He was about to widen the gap in the bushes when something else caught his attention.

* * *

Boar came to a halt as a sudden pain assaulted him. It felt like someone was sticking cold needles through his eyeballs. He cursed and rubbed his eyes, and the pain soon went away. He blinked, wondering if something had fallen into them. At least he could still see.

He heard a rustling nearby and saw Qiang thirty feet away, carefully approaching a nearby bush. With a big branch he started to poke into the bush. Boar stayed where he was, waiting for the next thing to happen.

Suddenly he heard running footsteps.

He turned his head to find a monster springing right at his face.

* * *

"DAMN!"

Anwu, with Viper still on her shoulder, spun round to see the dark beasts bring Boar down.

"Master Boar!" Anwu shrieked, the scream hurting Viper's ears. She didn't even think about her ribs as she slid down from the panda's shoulder and rushed onward. She soon remembered, but set her jaw against the pain as she raced through the dirt and grass, desperate to get there in time. Boar was shouting, but the guttural growls of the creatures were louder. Stones flew over her head towards the creatures, from Anwu's own frantic efforts.

Viper burst through a thick patch of grass and gaped at what she saw.

Boar was on the ground, almost completely hidden by the six or seven creatures swarming him, stabbing at him with silver claws and ignoring the stones that bounced off the dirt around them. They looked almost like a mixture of small and big bears, except bears didn't have dragon's heads, or bull's horns. And their eyes, they had no pupils, no eyelids, and were so _red_.

_Yaoguai._

That was the only name she could think of for these beasts. Viper's blood had completely drained from her face.

Their lidless red eyes stared down at Boar, who was covered in bleeding puncture wounds. He weakly punched at the beasts, but the wounds couldn't have been deep enough to cause severe blood loss in such little time. Poison, Viper suspected.

There was no time to waste. Viper started to race toward the scene, eyes fixed on the beast right in front of her. If she could fight through the pain and wrap herself around its neck...

The _Yaoguai_ raised its claws high and plunged them into Boar's throat.

Viper stopped, her heart stopping and her blood turning to ice.

"No!" Anwu screamed, and farther away Pong and Qiang gave similar cries.

The snake stared. She didn't feel the pain anymore. She didn't feel the ground beneath her scales. She could only watch as Boar went limp and the creatures started to run their reddened hands over his body.

The _Yaoguai_ that dealt the killing blow turned. Its red eyes fell upon her. They were blood red just like Embers, and flashed in the sockets of the dragon's head that looked so much like her helmet. Viper's eyes went even wider and she started slithering backwards. The beast broke away from the group and bounded on all fours in her direction. Viper tried to get into her stance, but she was shaking too much, and she couldn't stop thinking about Tujiu and his horrific immolation.

The _Yaohuai_ pounced. A big black and white shape also lunged, and sent the beast flying back with a swing of his branch.

It was Qiang. He stood over Viper, reached down for her even as the other beasts looked up from their fallen prey and noticed them.

"Viper!" Qiang slung the stunned snake over his shoulder and took off. "Everyone, run!"

A little further ahead, Pong was rushing to Anwu, who was reaching into her pocket for her little weapon. When she pulled it out, she shrieked and tossed it away.

In her disorientation, Viper wasn't sure what she saw.

_Was that a knife..._

Pong reached Anwu and they started to run.

_Or was it a claw, sliced off at the base?_

Qiang soon reached them, and then they were all sprinting through the woods, branches in the bushes slapping at their bodies and branches on the ground threatening to trip them. Viper could hear their pursuers, tearing through the bushes with their claws and muscular bodies.

Pong turned and threw rocks behind him. Viper didn't see if they hit anything, but she could see the pure terror in his face. She couldn't get the image of Boar's final moments out of her head.

_I can't let anyone else die._

She reached out and grabbed a thin limbless branch from a tree they raced by. The momentum broke it right off, and Viper turned to face the six beasts that howled for her blood. She aimed and threw the branch like a dart. It hit one in the eye and it fell with a screech that chilled the snake.

There were too many, and one of the two remaining fighters in the group was wounded. They weren't going to make it out of this.

_Wait, the mine!_

They were heading in its general direction, she realised. When they'd last been in the mine, there had been abandoned tools. Picks and shovels. Improvised weapons. If they could just reach it, they might all be able to fight them off.

"Keep going!" She cried. "The mine, quickly!"

Qiang glanced at her, still running, panting from the prolonged exertion.

Viper actually felt the smooth side of a toxic claw touch her body. Qiang swung his entire body and slammed the branch into the _Yaoguai_. It cried and fell away, but five more still chased them.

"There! I see it!" Anwu yelled. Through the trees Viper saw the square framed entrance, leading into blackness.

Anwu and Pong reached it first and raced inside. Qiang and Viper followed after, and then the _Yaoguai_. Viper thought of the red cloth she had seen when Qiang started to open up the bush. If that had been what she thought it was, she hoped to all the gods that Su had gotten the hell out of there.


	22. A Child's Worst Nightmare

Su was aching all over by the time she finally, finally reached the final damp, wooden rung of the ladder and climbed out onto the surface. She stepped away from the pit, rubbing her arms and stretching her legs, glad to be out of there. She pursed her lips as she brushed off the worst of the dirt on her clothes. Even if they weren't what people usually wore around here, she liked them. They were the one thing she had liked about that room she'd been stuck in. The only thing worse than the dirt was the scrapes and cuts on her paws and wrists from where the ladder had been splintered in some places. They stung, but at least she wasn't having tummy aches and headaches anymore. That and her tears didn't come out red anymore when she cried. Actually, she'd heard the creepy hornet and the panther lady talking about that outside her door. Something about the redness theoretically being a physical manifestation of something spiritual going on inside her body. Su hadn't understood what that meant.

"Viper!" She called out into the dark forest, even as another voice in her head told her that Viper and the others were better off without her. She had already caused enough trouble.

But a third, more mature voice pointed out that Viper could be seriously hurt. Su had gotten really, really lucky when she'd fallen into that pit. Viper, even if she was a grown up, might not have been as blessed. "Viper!" Su said, growing more afraid by the second. Not just for Viper, but she was all alone in a dark, empty forest. Little kids should not be alone. They could get kidnapped by bandits, eaten by monsters, and end up hanging upside down in a stupid pit.

"M-missus Viper!" Where was she? Had she broken anything? Was she bleeding out her eyeballs? Had she fallen down a pit too? Maybe she was okay, and was looking for Su right now. It was no secret how much Viper liked Su. Something to do with Su being like her little sister. Su liked Viper back. She was pretty and really nice, no matter what the snake-haters said. Su recalled the fond memory of that time a kid had tried teasing her outside the fan clubhouse. Being called fat hadn't hurt as much as she thought it would. Her coin being called stupid had annoyed her. Taunting her for spending all her time with a no-legger had only confused the heck out of her... until Pong told her what the word meant. That was the day the Su-ker Punch was given its name.

"Viper!" Su called Viper's name again and again as she stumbled through the forest.

_Hei Nuwang... Izumi... Sutoraiki... Long Feng... Sao..._

The names of those horrible people she'd seen or heard of came to the forefront of her mind. At the same time she imagined what they would do if they found Viper, her mummy and daddy, and the others. Sutoraiki had been considering making her parents his next test subjects before he was sent to the other place. Izumi had never stopped fantasizing about killing Viper since she smashed her face into a mirror. If any of those monsters, those evil jerks who didn't care who they hurt as long as they got what they wanted, got to Viper and the others before she did...

She continued on through the forest, desperate to find them. That would be the first step to fixing her mistakes. From there she would do what Po always does and figure it out as she goes.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Su cried as she pushed her way through some thin bushes. "Mommy! Mo-" She tripped in the dark and fell forward. There was a splash as her bloody paws and knees hit water four inches deep. The ground was soft beneath the water, so the fall didn't hurt her. Still, Su couldn't help but be miffed that even after months of training, she was still falling over things. "Stupid trippy legs." She muttered, but her anger didn't last long as the coolness of the water seeped into her body, numbing the stinging and the soreness. A little smile of relief grew on her face, and she had to force herself to stand up.

When she looked down at her soaking wet paws, all the cuts and scratches were gone.

Su tilted her head, puzzled. It had happened again.

The last time, she'd been sitting in a dark, damp cell, lonely and scared. She'd scraped her elbow very badly on the rough stone wall on the same day a fierce rainstorm had sent water trickling in the cell. Predictably, Su had gotten wet. Unpredictably, the scrape shrank and vanished.

Nothing would have come of it, except a passing guard witnessed the whole thing. The next thing Su knew, she was in the room next to the evil hornet's lab, even further away from her parents.

Su blinked. Something about her brain was different. "Order." She said.

Nothing. Her body didn't fill with rage and thoughts of bloody revenge. She hadn't really thought about it until now, too scared for herself, her parents and the nice masters, but that dark part of her that threatened to rise to the surface each time the Children of Nuwa were mentioned was gone.

She heard the sound of dirt being crushed underfoot. Fear got the better of her and she crawled into the bushiest bush she saw. She curled into a little ball. _Keep still_ , as Shifu and Viper had told her. _Keep stilll..._

She heard more footsteps. More and more. Coming from behind her. There was a whole group of them. Were they soldiers working for the bad guys? Were they looking for her?

Su couldn't bring herself to turn her head and look. It could be her mummy and daddy, but if it wasn't, she didn't want to be captured by those people again. It was cold inside the bush. The dirt she was lying on was staining her clothes. Su released a shiver she couldn't suppress, and the bush shook with her.

_Oh no._

Some of the footsteps were getting louder. Closer.

_No, no, no, no... please let it be daddy, please let it be mommy..._

She actually felt some of the little branches behind her being shifted.

Someone shouted a bad word nearby. The branches went back in place and the man who nearly found her stepped away from the bush. There was shouting and weird noises. What was going on?

"Master Boar!" Su's heart leapt when she heard her mother's terrified cry. She uncurled herself and started to crawl out the bush, but her coat got snagged on a thick branch. There were more shouts, her mother cried out again.

"Viper! Everyone, run!"

_No! Don't go!_

Su reached behind her and pulled the branch off. More hurried footsteps, growing fainter. They were being chased. By the time Su was out of the bush, she was alone again.

Su nearly started sobbing, but when her eyes fell to the ground, she saw a weird thick line along the ground, like someone had been dragging a big sack. Her eyes followed the line until they saw a shape on the ground some distance away. She made out a pair of tusks and a bag stuck on a thick dark arm before the shape started receding into the darkness. Was that Boar? And was he being dragged?

"Wait!" Su dashed after him and whoever was dragging him through the forest. She had the legs of a child, however, and the sound of the people she was chasing was growing steadily fainter.

"Boar! Mister Boar!" Neither Boar nor the stranger answered. Was it really Boar she had seen? Was the person dragging him a bad guy? Was she running towards her parents, or away from them? Even so, it was either this or be alone again, so Su didn't stop running.

Boar and his captor were growing hazier and hazier in the darkness, leaving only a faint outline for Su to chase. Eventually they vanished completely, but Su still had the marks on the ground. Just as her legs were starting to feel like lead, she heard a clatter up ahead. Then she found herself running up to a big hole, where the drag marks ended. Several feet inside it was the bag, fallen from Boar's arm. It had fallen open, the contents strewn everywhere. She saw biscuits, a box, some small weapons and a tiny unlit lantern.

Su looked into the cave, more scared than ever. It was much darker in there than it was outside. "Hello?" She called. No-one answered. She really, really didn't want to go in there, but if this was where her parents, Viper and Mister Qiang had run off to...

"Boar?" Su very slowly made her way into the cave. She went in eight steps when a sudden pain hurt her eyes. She shut her eyes and rubbed them until the pain went away. When she opened her eyes again, she noticed that the darkness had thickened more than ever, and the only way she knew the bag was in front of her was when she nudged in with her foot.

She bent down, found the lantern, found the matches, and then she had a little red light. There was a crumbling sound behind her. When she turned, the cave mouth was gone, a dead end in its place. "What the heck?" She turned back round to face the impenetrable darkness ahead.

"Mommy..." Su summoned all the courage she could muster and started walking.

It was the secret passages in the Himalayan fortress all over again. Everywhere that wasn't cast in the light of her lantern was pitch black, and the tunnel seemed narrower than it did before she stepped inside it. It was so confining it was horrible, and the only sing that Su wasn't suffocating was the sound of her own heavy breathing. To top it all off, it was freezing. That time she was being chased by her would-be-kidnapper, but this time was even worse. This time she had no idea whether or not she was truly alone, if her parents were still alive, or if she would ever get out. She imagined all sorts of monsters hiding in here, the ones that looked monstrous and the ones that didn't.

Su turned a corner and bumped into some wooden sticks that toppled to the floor, thankfully not making too much noise. When she held her lantern out, she saw picks and shovels. Was this a mine? She stepped over the fallen tools and continued on.

Su thought she heard a very faint hiss every now and then, but other than that it was utterly silent. "Viper?" She called every now and then, but if Viper was here she said nothing.

She turned another corner. The ground here was dotted with little puddles. The tunnel walls were covered in deep, big scratches, and were dripping wet. How deep was this mine? Where was the way out? Where were her parents?

A hoofed foot entered her little ball of red light. Su's paws trembled as she slowly made her way along Boar's still body. When the lantern revealed his face, Su's breath caught in her throat. Her mouth fell open and she backed away. She was going to get nightmares from this, she was certain of it.

The person who had dragged him could have done this... if it even was a person.

Just as Su was thinking about running back the way she came, she heard Viper shout farther down the tunnel.

"Viper!" Su sprinted past Boar, going right through the puddles in her determination to get to them before she lost them again. She rounded a corner, then another, until the walls and ceiling disappeared and she was in a cavern.

Viper yelled again from somewhere at the other side. "Viper!" Su kept running, only stopping when she saw a sleeveless coat on the floor. Her lantern and eyes travelled upward, as she thought of how the coat looked an awful lot like the one her- "KYAH!"

Su leapt back with a scream that tore at her throat. Her father, her still, lifeless father, was hanging upside down right in front of her. Feeling sick, Su took a step forward, but when she saw the red stains covering his body she staggered backward, screaming and sobbing.

_Nonononononononononono... no! No, daddy, noooooooooo!_

She stopped screaming as her voice failed her, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly and her eyes wide as teacups.

Footsteps. Coming from behind. Su slowly turned round.

A monster. A monster the same height as she was, with lidless red eyes and a toothy maw that released a shriek that brought back Su's voice. The little girl screamed like she had never screamed before. She turned to run away, and found herself facing a taller monster reaching out with bloody claws. Su threw the lantern in its face and dashed back the way she came even as more monsters emerged from the blackness. She couldn't, wouldn't stop screaming. She hit a shiny, scarred wall, the tunnel gone just like the entrance. She screamed and swore naughty words. These monsters had killed her daddy, killed Boar, and were going to kill her too. She ran along the wall, finding another tunnel just as a pair of clawed hands grabbed at the collar of her red coat. Su shrieked and she pulled her arms out her sleeves, escaping into the other tunnel.

In her panic she ran right into the grasp of a monster a head taller than she was. She punched it in the face and wrenched herself free, and at the same time her leg hit a big rock. She fell face first into a shallow puddle, her head hitting the ground with a bang.

All sound disappeared in an instant, leaving only a soft ringing in her ears. Su gasped silently, half in and half out the puddle, feeling something warm trickling past her eye. Beneath the ringing was a horrible shrieking. She turned her throbbing head, saw the monsters coming down the tunnel, and tried to crawl. Her limbs weren't working properly, and she only reached two feet before several claws grabbed her legs. By now Su could hear her own screams as she was dragged back and surrounded. The headache was gone but she was feeling light headed. One of the monsters reached for her. Was Su's brain broken, or were those claws turning into hooves?

The last thing Su remembered was their red eyes turning to white.


	23. Another

Su felt hard bumpy stone on her back and a hand gripping her shoulder.

Eyes still closed, she screamed, lifted her upper body and thrust out her fist.

"GOW!"

Su's eyes snapped open when she recognised the voice. _Oh no!_

Both mortified and overjoyed, she stared at Master Shifu as he stood hunched over, hands over his nose. Su was too monumentally embarrassed to get up. All she could do was lie there until Shifu straightened, rubbed his nose one last time and returned to her side.

"Master Shifu, I'm so sorry!" Su paused when she saw her red coat draped over her lower body. "I'm so sorry I punched you!"

Shifu wordlessly put his hand back on her trembling shoulder. He was actually smirking.

"I would have punched me too." He sat down. "You have no idea how relieved I am that you are alright. When I saw the blood on your face, I thought I would have a heart attack and die."

Su rubbed her head, trying to figure out if Shifu was saying that to try and make her giggle. It felt dry and clean, but weirdly she didn't feel any cuts from her close encounter with that rock. _The puddle_ , she realised. She looked around. They were on a naturally formed platform overlooking a bigger tunnel, out of sight of any passers by. Before Su knew it she was hugging Shifu, glad that he was okay and she wouldn't be alone anymore. "What happened?" She asked. "Where're the monsters?"

Shifu tapped one of his big ears with one hand, the other returning the embrace. "I could hear your screams all the way outside the mine. When I found you, you were on the floor surrounded by these strangers. I fought them off, grabbed you and brought you here."

Su felt a chill as it came back to her in little bits of memory. _Claws wrapping around her tiny legs, shining silver beneath the blood... Lidless red eyes boring into her soul like crimson daggers... Her father, dangling in front of her face... dead..._

Su felt her heart break. She let out a sob and covered her mouth. Her tears trickled from her face onto Shifu's robe, leaving dark wet patches. "Su, what's wrong?"

"Duh-daddy." She whimpered. "The monsters... they... they killed my daddy... he's dead..."

Still holding her, Shifu gently patted her head. "Whatever that was, it was not your father."

Su looked up with wide, wet eyes. "What?"

"I've studied enough mind tricks in my life to know when I'm looking at one."

"One what?"

Shifu gave her a comforting look. "An illusion. Your parents are still alive, and almost certainly somewhere in this mine."

Su had no idea what to think as Shifu released her and stood up. An illusion? "Huh? What?"

Shifu retrieved his staff from the floor and walked to the edge of the platform. "Su, I need you to stay here while I go look for your parents, Viper, and Boar. Keep quiet and your head down."

Su frowned and stood up. "Nuh-uh. I'm going with you. I need to know if my parents are really okay." Also, a part of her deep down wanted to know who or what was responsible for this 'mind trick', and if it was what she thought it was.

"Absolutely not, young lady. It's far too dangerous."

Su held up her red coat and tugged at the collar of her black dress. "In case you haven't noticed, _young man_ , I've got blood on my clothes. It's only a matter of time before the monsters smell me out and find me."

Shifu closed his eyes. His hand pressed into his forehead. "Is there a single panda on this earth who won't make me want to kill something?"

Su folded her arms. "I heard that."

They locked eyes, light blue staring into dark. Then Shifu sighed. "Perhaps leaving you alone isn't a good idea. Alright, but you must stay close and keep quiet!"

Su grinned, put on her coat, and after that they climbed down the platform. From there they turned left, travelling down the dark tunnel until they were back in the cavern. The monsters were gone, but Su hugged herself as they crossed the open space, on the lookout for a flash of red or silver.

Shifu stopped suddenly, eyes lowered toward the ground. Su saw her father's discarded coat. Her heart beat faster. She didn't want to see it again, but Shifu had told her it wasn't real. He wouldn't have lied like that. He could be mean at times, but not that mean. Her lip quivered as her eyes turned upward... to find a dirty sack dangling in the air in front of her that looked nothing like her father.

Shifu smiled kindly at her. "See? It was just an illusion."

Su was so happy she let out a giggle. "Do you think the monsters were illusions, too?"

"Almost certainly, but all the same we should keep our voices down."

Su pointed into the darkness. "I heard Master Viper over there."

"Then that's where we're going."

They set off in the direction Su had pointed, and this time she was not afraid. Shifu was here, he was okay. Her parents were okay, and so were Viper and Boar. Those monsters that attacked her hadn't been real. The only thing that worried her now was how quiet it was.

"I'm curious." Shifu said eventually. "Where did you get those clothes?"

"In the room they kept me in. Why?"

"When I was a child, Oogway used to tell me of his travels around the world. He once showed me a drawing of some people dressed very similarly to you, from some place far west if I remember correctly."

Su felt warm all over. "You mean the picture of that fox with the bow and funny hat? His travels were the only part of Oogway's past that he ever talked about." Shifu stopped walking. Su didn't understand why he looked so troubled. She watched as he pulled a small bottle from inside his robe, stared at it for a good long while, and then put it away again. "What was that?"

Shifu hesitated. "Su, have you ever heard of Meng Po?"

Su shook her head. He went on to explain that Meng Po was a deity of the underworld, and it was her duty to ensure that all reincarnated souls remember nothing of their past lives. "This bottle is supposedly her Five Flavoured Tea of Forgetfulness. Have you ever seen anything like this during your captivity?"

Su replied that she hadn't. Shifu stroked his beard, as if he was contemplating what to say next. Eventually he asked a question. "Su, have you been having any memories you shouldn't have? Please be honest."

Su felt a shiver of unease. "Yes."

"That's what I thought." Shifu started walking again, and Su followed. "Su, legend has it that a soul can sometimes escape consuming the Tea of Forgetfulness and retain their memories from rebirth. I think that's happening to you. Either that, or the Dragon Empress somehow did something to your mind that is causing those memories to return. Perhaps it's somehow both." Su realised at that point that he had started talking to himself, sinking into his own thoughts. She hesitantly reached out and tapped him on the shoulder, getting his attention.

"Master Shifu. My parents." That and Viper and Boar was all she cared about right now.

Shifu sighed. "Sorry, Su. We'll talk about this once we get out of here."

They found a tunnel and walked through it, Su keeping as close as possible. They strode down the tunnel in complete silence, other than the echoing drip of water on the ceiling. She looked at the shiny pure blackness of the stone around them, and wondered if they really were that colour or if it was just the darkness.

They heard the hiss of rushing water before the tunnel opened into another cavern, one alight with torches of white fire. They stepped onto a wide bridge naturally formed from the rock, which stretched all the way across the cavern to a tunnel on the other side. On both sides, water poured from the walls in thundering streams, plummeting into a pool far beneath the bridge.

Su saw a flash of pink amongst the black stone of the bridge. She rushed over, and found one of Viper's lilies. Shifu rushed to her side and took the flower decoration. "It's clean and dry. This was dropped very recently."

"So she could be okay?" Su asked.

"I hope so." Shifu's ear twitched and he scowled. "Come on."

They started walking across the bridge, Su staying well away from the edges even as a part of her wanted to be close to the water around them, to feel its life and its power. Her fingers stretched downward, itching to touch the tiny puddles forming on the bridge. The water soaked through her shoes, sinking into her fur. Su felt a strange happiness rising inside her, like hot water filling her chest. Never had she felt so empowered.

Needles stabbed into her eyes, then were pushed out by the water's energy. Beside her, Shifu let out a roar of pain as he fell to his knees, clutching his head.

Su's happiness vanished in an instant. "Shifu!" She fell to her own knees and held him by the shoulders as he sucked in air through clenched teeth, rendered helpless by unbearable agony.

"Don't move."

Su and Shifu both looked up. "Shen?" The red panda hissed through the pain. "No... you're... not..."

The bird approaching them from the other side of the bridge was indeed wearing a white robe, but this was no peacock. The pheasant came to a stop two feet away and eyed the pair of them with cold, silver eyes. "If I'm not mistaken, you are the man who assaulted my people. Identify yourself."

Shifu gave her the deadliest glare he could muster. "Master Shifu... of the... Jade Palace..."

"Shifu... Oogway's protégé. I thought it was you." The pheasant folded her wings, her expression darkening. "Let me guess, you're here to find answers."

"How... did you..."

Shifu stopped clenching his teeth. Relief spread across his features as he lowered his hands. The pheasant must have stopped giving him a headache. "Stand up, but don't try anything." She said.

Shifu and Su both stood up.

"Who are you?" Shifu asked, still sounding pained.

"That's for me to know. Your friends are fine. A paralytic toxin was all we needed to bring them down. You need to step up their training."

"And I suppose those monsters you conjured were imaginary scarecrows."

"Smart man."

They were both glaring daggers while Su stood on the side-line. She couldn't stand it any longer.

"What are you doing here, Mengxiang?" She asked icily.

She knew. Somehow she knew it had been Mengxiang, and now that she knew for, she was mad.

The pheasant's eyes widened, as did Shifu's. "How did you know?"

"I want my parents back!" Su snapped. "Where are they?"

Mengxiang looked deep into Su's eyes. Su felt something pushing into her eyes again, only it felt less like needles and more like cold fingers. Again Mengxiang's power was forced out by the water's energy. The pheasant blinked several times, peered at Su with suspicion, then turned back to Shifu. "They are with my people, as are your student and that steward of Gongmen City. Rest assured, you'll be joining them shortly."

Shifu's eyes narrowed just a little. "You said that I came here to find answers. Are you implying that you have them? Are you a member of the Children of Nuwa?"

Mengxiang went stiff all over. Her eyes were suddenly ablaze with silver fire. "No. _Never_. Never again! Hei Nuwang may be flesh and blood, but I will never forgive her for what she did! What she made _me_ do! I loved Ember! I never wanted to hurt her!"

Shifu's narrowed eyes went wide as dinner plates. "Flesh and blood? You mean..."

"Yes." All rage melted away from Mengxiang's voice, leaving only melancholic bitterness. "The leader of the Childen of Nuwa and the Dragon Empress are none other than my own sisters. Now I am going to put you away with the others where you cannot interfere. Hei Nuwang is going to get everything that's coming to her. My sister will get her revenge, and neither you or your precious Dragon Warrior are going to stop her!"

Shifu must have found his opening, for he lashed out and grabbed her left wing at that very moment. He spun the surprised pheasant so her back was to him, Shifu twisting her arm behind her painlessly. At once the red panda growled as Mengxiang's power send needles stabbing into his brain. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, as Su ran forward to stop her. She smacked the pheasant hard across the face, the sound echoing around the cavern. Stunned by the girl's attack, Mengxiang staggered sideways in Shifu's grip-

And slipped right out of his hands as she plummeted over the side of the stone bridge, shouting all the way until she hit the water.

Su clapped her paws over her gaping mouth. What had she done?!

Shifu ran to the edge and looked down. "She looks alright. Come on, we're going down there. It's time we get some answers."


	24. The Door to the Past

Tigress had climbed out of the frying pan and into the fire.

In other words, she'd escaped captivity and was now running for her life.

The soldiers had come out hunting hours after Tigress had escaped the black fortress. As the sky began to darken she raced through the harsh, rough land, aware that it was only a matter of time before she was found.

She stopped to catch her breath, leaning against a tall stone with amethyst purple engravings. She didn't get a chance to read them before she heard the sound of approaching soldiers and started running again.

She ducked into a ravine before they could see her, finding a good hiding spot between to big angular boulders. She held her breath and waited as the two dozen men passed by, climbing further into the ravine. When the last man had disappeared from sight, Tigress climbed out with agonising difficulty and started heading out the way she came. _Keep moving down the mountain_ , she told herself. _You have to get find Po._

"What the hell..." She whispered when she saw the wall of rocks blocking her path, the wall that had definitely not been there five minutes earlier. If there had been a rockslide she would have heard it. Even stranger was the perfect round hole that looked like it had been melted into the rock and then cooled. It was big enough to crawl into. _No_ , Tigress thought at first. _I don't trust this for a second._ She heard the sound of the soldiers coming back. Her wounded body reminded her that she was in no condition to fight. But she could try. Tigress went into her stance and waited.

That was when the rocks far ahead turned red and started to melt. White-hot molten magma slowly trickled down and pooled at the bottom of the ravine. Even from this distance Tigress could barely breathe from the heat.

_Fine. We'll do this your way. For now._

Tigress quickly climbed into the hole.

* * *

_All alone in a dark, silent forest shrouded in snow, a little panda cried._

_He'd never meant to get lost. He'd only been trying to get away from those mean kids who always called him fat. He'd strayed off the path, fled into the forest that surrounded the forest where he lived, and hadn't been able to find his way back. For hours he had wandered, desperately trying to find the village so he could go home, but the forest seemed endless. Now night had fallen. It was dark, it was cold, and it was quiet. The child held one end of his plain red scarf in both paws, twisting the fabric as he sniffled._

_He hated this. He hated getting picked on. He hated that it was his fault. If only he could see his toes past his stupid big tummy, then maybe he would be left alone._

_To top off a perfect day, he was tired from running all day. He'd found a little dry, snowless spot beneath a protruding rock, where he'd hoped to sleep until the next day. He hoped that with the daylight back finding the village would be easier._

_He sat down in the dry spot, leaning back against the stone wall that may as well have been ice. He rubbed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to sleep but was too scared to..._

_Somewhere far to his right, there was a thunderous sound._

_"_ _Huh?" He opened his eyes and looked in the general direction of the sound. "What's that?" Maybe it was someone chopping down trees for wood. He left the protruding rock and trudged through the snow towards the sound, hoping that whoever it was had a thick blanket and some steaming hot dumplings._

_The child soon found the cause of the sound. A great big tree had fallen, half its branches broken and evergreen leaves all over the place. The child scratched his head as he found two things that looked really weird. The tree looked like it had been snapped, not chopped in half. That and it was covered in black marks and smelled funny._

_The child rubbed his fingers on the black part of the bark, and they came away covered in black powder. The tree had been burnt like the firewood in his daddy's stove._

_There was a shout up ahead. The child looked, feeling fear welling up inside him. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Then again, he may never get home otherwise. The child very slowly walked towards the source of the sound._

_As he walked, he heard a woman's voice so cold it could have frozen his heart._

_"_ _Still feel like following orders?"_

_The child approached a bush, with a sinking feeling that something very bad was on the other side._

_"_ _Die, witch!" said a man. There was a whooshing sound and the man screamed. The little panda reached the bush and stopped. He could see through the tangled branches. A black figure with a demonic looking head was standing over a big rhino clad in armour, their back to the bush. The rhino's right arm sank into the deep snow, dousing the crimson fire. "You vile little creature!" The man sounded both angry and in pain. The child stepped around the bush so he could see better. "You burned my arm... how dare you..."_

Crunch.

_The man screamed so loud the child had to cover his ears. He screwed his eyes shut, trying to forget what he had just seen happen to the rhino's left arm. Arms shouldn't bend like that. They're supposed to have one joint, not four._

_Just as the child opened his eyes the rhino spoke again, but with a lot more difficulty. His mad eyes stared up at his torturer as he spoke naughty words and threats. "You wait... just you wait... I'll survive this... when I do, you will beg to go join your baby."_

_The masked woman didn't move an inch. The child saw two tiny red ripples appear on the rhino's knees and shoulders for a split second, and then the man started howling, flailing his ruined arms as he cursed at the woman, screaming nasty threats._

_"_ _Mission's over." The woman said._

_The child gaped as from out of the frozen ground came a tendril of sizzling lava, rendering the snow around it to steaming water. It reared over the woman's head like a serpent, the glowing tip pointed at the rhino's face. The child started to back away, shaking like a leaf as he realised that this rhino was about to be hurt really badly._

Snap!

_The child's heart stopped as his foot stepped on a twig._

_When he looked up, the woman was looking right at him. The pitch black eyeholes seemed to stare into his soul._

_The little panda panicked and ran._

_He ran blindly through the forest, tripping over stones hidden beneath the snow, losing his scarf on a branch but not having the courage to go back and get it. Then his foot landed on something flat and slippery. His leg slipped out from under him and he fell hard on his back. He skidded across the narrow frozen river, stopping right in the middle._

_The child had had all the air knocked out of him. He could barely breath. Snow fell from the snow and melted on his body._

_In a flash the masked woman in black was kneeling over his stunned body, peering at his terrified expression through her eyeholes. She silently reached out towards his face._

_Her gloved hand stopped right before she touched him. It hovered over his wide eyes, and then slowly worked its way down his body, not quite touching his fur. Down past his neck, turning over as it passed his chest as if reacting to his rapidly beating heart, turning over again as it stopped over his lower torso. Her hand lifted, then finally fell on the curve of his belly._

Po's eyes snapped open. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he saw Ember staring back at him, her hand resting on his stomach, her fingers slightly digging into his fur. Somehow in his sleep he'd ended up on the floor, and waking up to find his stalker at his side. Top Dog was nowhere to be seen.

Ember's gaze moved to the hand she had placed on the panda's body. She closely examined the white fur, which Po realised was soaking wet. Had she done that? Po was frozen, wanting to fight but too scared of what she might do. This was beyond creepy.

And then Ember stood up. She moved slowly, stiffly, a body language Po recognised before. Tigress sometimes acted like that when Po did something stupid and she had to struggle to hold down her anger. He was getting a similar vibe off Ember right now, and this scared him even more. He'd done something. Something that had ticked her off big time.

Without so much as a glance at the panda, Ember turned and walked to the trapdoor that had been filled with cement. She stopped at the edge, and turned her head to looked at Po. Her helmet betrayed nothing, but Po knew she was glaring at him.

_"_ _It is not enough."_

She turned back to the blocked passage, and held a hand out over it. Po watched with terrified awe as the cement glowed red and turned to lava, melting and sinking until there was a big circular hole in the trapdoor. The glowing edges rapidly cooled and turned grey.

Ember disappeared in a red flash.

Po stood up, full of cold trepidation. What had he done to upset her? What if she tried to make him pay for it later? What if that newly reopened secret passage was a trap?

"Top Dog?" He called when he remembered the guy. "Top Dog, where are you?"

He found Top Dog in the corridor outside, frozen in a combat stance on the floor with a sword in his paws. He must have been coming back from the armoury when Ember came to visit. Taking cold comfort in the fact that Ember hadn't killed him, Po carried the paralysed man back into the office and laid him on the rug.

"Sorry, buddy. If I knew how to get you out of this, I would." Po walked over to the trapdoor, biting his lip at anger at Ember. He looked one last time at Top Dog. "I'll come back."

With that he jumped down into the hole.

He landed on solid ground ten feet down. From there he made his way down a single tunnel so low his head was level with his shoulders. It was so dark he was afraid of tripping, but he quickly found the floor to be smooth as paper. He turned a corner, and the tunnel here was wider and littered with singled crates and weapons covered in soot and dust. No-one had walked through here for a long time. Po tried not to disturb the inches of dust as he walked, seeing another corner up ahead.

Instinct stopped him dead and made him look up. A pitch-black arm was descending from an opaque shadow on the ceiling.

Panic and horror nearly paralysed the panda, but he saw a table and ducked beneath it as the creature's head emerged. Po stood as still as a rock as its entire body dropped to the floor and it stood upright. Its legs were all that Po could see, but he could also see its hips twisting as it looked around. The panda held his breath. He didn't dare try to unwrap his rock and chain. He didn't know why he was so scared of it, or what scared him more; its demonic features, the memory of the warden's death at its tendrils, or the aura of cold hate and rage that seemed to radiate from the beast.

Po's whole body slumped with relief as it strode off, around the corner up ahead and disappearing.

Then he realised that he still had to go around that corner himself. _Oh great._

Only the possibility that Tigress could be at the end of the tunnel could convince Po to come out from under the table and continue on.

He slowed down as he reached the corner and took a peek. He found the tunnel empty and led out the breath he'd been holding. He kept walking as the floor sloped upwards. Po saw a pinprick of light up ahead. As he continued he found that the light was coming from a crack in a wall at the end of the tunnel. Po put his eye to the crack, and saw a black, broken bed. There didn't seem to be anyone on the other side of the wall, so Po very carefully began to push.

The wall opened like a door, and Po stepped out into the room.

At first he thought the bedroom had been painted in a weird combination of black and grey, but then realised that a huge fire had happened here. The bed and other furniture were charred beyond saving. There were holes in the ceiling with bits of wood sticking out. In a corner by the window, the remains of a crib lay in a pile of colourless ash. Po's heart ached at the sight.

He went to the blackened window and looked out. He saw other majestic buildings, beautiful gardens, all surrounded by a big wall crawling with enemy soldiers, and a very familiar red building in the centre of it all.

Ember had led him into the royal palace. Right past all the guards.


	25. Base of Operations

Hidden behind Crane's left wing, Mantis pulled his arm from the keyhole with the tiniest of frustrated grunts. He was getting sick of being stuffed into teeny tiny cages.

"Anything?" Monkey asked, keeping his voice down.

"Do I look like Viper to you? Nothing. Zilch. Zip. Squat."

"Zip it. Long Feng's coming this way."

Mei Ling's warning came just in time. Long Feng was walking across the hall to the massive red and gold central pillar to which they had been chained.

Since their capture the Jade Palace masters had had to grudgingly admire Long Feng's savvy. Instead of putting them in a dungeon or chaining them up with the royal hostages, the one armed rhino had instead brought them to his base of operations where he could personally keep an eye on them. Even if Mantis had succeeded in picking the lock, there was a very high probability of being recaptured by the three dozen soldiers scattered all over the hall. All four walls were lined with racks filled with weapons. A single big table stood near the front with two maps, one of the city and one of the palace, where Long Fong stood most of the time. He didn't look nearly as content as he had before the report came in that Ember's minions were somehow passing the 'infection' on to his own men. There was now a permanent scowl on his face, made even worse when reports came of soldiers literally being dragged into shadows, never to be seen again. Colonel Sao was currently poring over the city map, looking very troubled himself. Izumi was leaning against another pillar, polishing a serrated knife. She glanced at the captive masters every now and then, watching for the first sign they were attempting an escape. She was the only one who didn't look concerned over the strange reports, smiling slightly as she slid the cloth down the lethal blade. Maybe she was just hiding her own worries to avoid looking weak, or maybe she was really was that arrogant and oblivious. Right after they'd been chained to the pillar she'd enquired about Viper. Naturally Crane had told her to go to a very unpleasant place.

Long Feng had been speaking to a fancy looking mirror before making his way to them. He reached the pillar, then unexpectedly went right past them towards one of the exquisitely carved archways that led deeper into the palace. A masked man had just emerged from it, approaching Long Feng with the stride of a very angry individual.

"Oh, it's you." Long Feng said politely, still bearing that scowl.

"Yes!" The man ripped off his mask, revealing the face of a panther and eyes blazing with fury. "Yes, Long Feng! It's me, you stupid grunt! You sent those earth made freaks after us! You nearly got me cut up into little pieces!"

"You were with the panda?" Long Feng said, his back to Mantis and the others. "I sent the terra cotta warriors after him hours ago. Why haven't they returned? Did you destroy them?"

"What choice did I have? They nearly killed me!"

 _Panda?_ Mantis's antennae twitched. _So Po really is here in the city. Wait, did he say terra cotta warriors?_

Izumi strode over, having overheard. "What about the panda? Where's that fat idiot?" The panther merely glowered. "You mean you had actually found the panda Lady Hei Nuwang is after and you didn't bring him in?" The panther glowered some more. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"No, I gave him some candy for taking out the big bad men and sent him on his merry way." The panther said. "Of course I tried to bring him in, you scar-faced pussycat!"

"That's enough!" Long Feng silenced the bobtail with a raised hand when she started to retort. His attention drawn by the raised voices, Sao walked over. "Tell us what happened!"

"The creature." The panther said, crossing his arms. Long Feng and Sao's entire bodies stiffened. Their fear was infectious to Mantis, who felt great unease in his heart at the utterance of those two words. "It grabbed the panda, dropped him through a roof, then came after me. Don't ask me why I didn't fight it. You know that thing can't die. By the time I lost it and headed back, he was gone."

"Damn it!" Long Feng slammed his one fist into a pillar, cracking the stone. "One thing after another! Damn that woman..."

Sao actually looked startled by his outburst. "Sir, I thought Lady Hei Nuwang said that it was unlikely that the creature is associated with Ember."

"You don't know her like I do!" Long Feng snapped. "Ember is the problem here! Always has been!"

"I know that, it's just..."

Long Feng spun round and loomed over him. "Just _what_ , colonel?"

Sao shrank a little. "Sir, there's something about that creature. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm afraid."

"Man up, soldier." Long Feng sneered. "I want you to take some men and head back out into the city. Find the panda and take him alive." He turned to Izumi. "As for you, take our artificially reincarnated friend here and go after the creature."

The panther looked ready to flip his lid. "What part of 'this thing can't die' did you not understand?!"

"I'm not asking you to kill it, you moron. I'm asking you to capture it." Long Feng held up the mirror. "I've just spoken to our mistress, and she has ordered me to make the creature a priority. She wants it alive so she can learn what it is and why it's interfering with our operation."

"How are we supposed to find and catch it with next to no info about it?" Izumi put her arms akimbo.

Long Feng shot a look at the panther then whispered something in Izumi's ear. Izumi blinked and her eyes glanced at the panther. Long Feng stepped away. "Your old boss didn't make you second in command for your looks. You'll think of something."

Izumi nodded and tapped the panther with the flat of the polished knife. " _Yuko!_ "

They disappeared through the archway. While Long Feng was following Sao to the map table, Mantis looked through the bars of his little cage at his friends. "What the heck was that?"

"I think _Yuko_ is Japanese for 'let's go'." Crane said.

"Not that, you dunce!" Mantis muttered. "What the heck is all this about a creature?"

"I'm more worried about Po." Monkey said. "I hope they don't catch him."

* * *

It wasn't often that Po put brains before brawn. Today, after seeing the patrolmen scattered all over the palace grounds, he was making an exception.

The building he had found himself in must have been the old residence for the royal family, until the fire that had blackened every inch of it. It was also completely empty, making it easy for him to look out the windows on all four sides at his surroundings. Once he'd gotten a good idea of the layout of the palace, he had sat down, picked up a piece of coal, and started drawing on the floorboards. For each building he drew a square with its name in the middle. All the trees were squiggly circles. He put a dot for every stationery guard. Everything else was drawn in basic lines.

When he was done, he put down the coal and stared intensely at the crude map.

He stared for ten minutes.

After fifteen minutes he rubbed his temples and groaned. He really wasn't used to thinking ahead, and now he was getting a headache.

"Man, why is thinking so hard?" He muttered. "Darnit, Tigress would have gotten a totally foolproof plan by now." He pulled out the Heart of China and gazed at it. Then he looked at the map again. "Monkey and the others are probably being held in the central building. Maybe I should take my chances and sneak through the grounds."

 _"_ _Absolutely not."_ Po answered himself in a higher voice. In his imagination, his reflection in the emerald's front facet morphed into Tigress's and her lips formed his own words. _"There are too many of them. You'll be spotted for sure."_

"Then we should take the long way around. Through the buildings." Po traced a potential route with his finger. "What if we headed for this tower here?"

_"_ _Maybe, but there are a lot of guards gathered around there. There's also too much ground between there and the central building."_

"What about this building here? The one with the nice smell coming from it."

_"_ _That must be where the kitchen is."_

"Kitchen? Aw man, sweet!"

_"_ _No."_

"No?"

_"_ _No."_

"Why no?"

_"_ _We're on a rescue mission, Po, and food will only be a distraction. The last thing you need is temptation."_

"But I haven't eaten since yesterday? Couldn't we go for one snack stop..."

_"_ _NO."_

"Dangit. Okay, what do you suggest?"

Both Po and the emerald took a long, hard look at the map.

_"_ _That well in the garden north of here. Master Eagle Jr. told us once that it's connected to the palace's prison underground. If we can reach it, we can make our way through the prison to the guards' tower on the other side."_

"The one with that big fancy arch at the base where carts pass through?"

_"_ _Yes. As we can see it's right next to the central hall. We can sneak in from there."_

"And what do we do when we find them?"

_"_ _We wait. Ember's planning something big, and when it happens, we'll use the distraction to our advantage. Once we've freed our friends, we'll find the royal family and free them too."_

Po encased the jewel in his paws and held it close. "This is why you're my favourite. Even when you're not here, you've got my back. If that's not awesome I don't know what is."

_"_ _Po?"_

"Yes?"

_"_ _Stop talking to yourself."_

"Okay. Sorry."

* * *

Tigress was having a nightmare. She must be. Yet no matter how hard she pinched herself or deliberately aggravated her ribs, she didn't wake up, for she was already awake.

So how... in the hell... did she end up in the guard tower of the royal palace?

The tunnel, which hadn't even been that long, had opened up into a room stacked with spare suits of armour. She'd been here before, so she'd known where she was the moment she emerged from the hole.

This wasn't possible. This was not possible. Neither was the ember snow Tigress saw from a tiny window.

_Madness. That's what this all is. The madness of the Dragon Empress._

Through the window, she saw soldiers who were certainly not with the imperial army. She needed a disguise, and fast. She searched through the suits of armour until she found a near perfect fit. She fought through her internal pain to put it all on. She remembered that the soldiers had purple cloth covering their mouths, and quickly put one on before putting on the helmet.

There, all done. So long as she kept her distance from anyone familiar with her, she should be okay.

With what she left the room, a plan already forming in her mind. First, she would find out what happened here. Second she would help the royal family if they weren't beyond helping. Third, she would rescue Po, and together they would put an end to this whole mess.


	26. The Royal Prison

Po squatted in the bushes, his knees aching from the prolonged strain. When the squad of four soldiers passed and disappeared from sight, he crossed the emerald green grass to the big stone well that stood at the centre of the garden.

That was easier than he thought it would be. Then he looked down the well, saw nothing but darkness, and got worried. If something went wrong, there was no telling how far he might fall.

_Stop being a wimp. Your friends need you._

That thought convinced Po to reach for the thick rope that dangled from the big beam above the pit. "Come on, come to daddy..." the tips of his stubby claws tugged at the rope, bringing it closer until he wrapped his entire paw around it. He pulled it over and grabbed it with his other paw. He started sweating as he put one leg on the low stone wall, then the other. He swallowed and stepped over the edge.

"Woah!" He just managed to keep his voice down as he swung once, twice, and then simply hung over the abyss. He gulped, forcing himself to not look down.

_Come on, Po! Are you a Dragon Warrior or a wuss?_

Po inched his way down into the well. Soon he could see nothing but stone bricks all around, and even that was growing less visible by the minute. It had been dark enough outside with the sun almost completely gone, but down here it was like night had already fallen, with no moon in sight. After what felt like forever, he finally looked down. To his great relief he saw a faint golden glow, almost certainly from torches. He may have some distance to go yet, but at least he wasn't descending towards a dead end.

Soon enough he reached the bottom of the pit, which opened up into a large chamber with loads of cells and no windows. Right beneath him was a big fenced pool where the rope ended, the bucket underwater. Po went lower until he was almost touching the water. By now his arms were too tired to try swinging to the side. _I haven't had a proper bath since before I was captured. I've been singed, pummelled, and dropped through roofs. I might just end up poisoning the entire city. Oh well._

Po let himself drop into the water. It was cool and crystal clear, an absolute blessing after the heat and falling embers. Po lingered before the water until he had no choice but to resurface. Feeling cleaner already, Po swam to the side and pulled himself over the stone fence.

_"_ _Well, well, well..."_

The air had taken on a red tint. Po saw her standing before the cell right in front of him. She walked slowly and almost casually towards him, yet Po could feel the anger coming out of her. In fact he could _see_ it. A red aura enveloped her entire body, manifested as translucent fire. It lashed violently in the air as she continued to advance. Po unconsciously brought his paws up as he recoiled before her fury.

"Is this about me not remembering anything about that burnt room? If it is, then you're not being fair!" Horrific pain tried to push into his brain. Po summoned the hero's chi and his own to keep it out. He gripped the fence with both paws and screwed his eyes shut, not opening them again until Ember relented. He took deep breaths. After that, he was more ticked than terrified. "You're not going to break me."

 _"_ _After everything I have done, you still resist me?"_ Ember replied viciously, all casualness gone. _"I released you from your prison, showed you a way into the royal palace. I even saved your-"_

"Cut the crap! You didn't do any of that to help me! _You're not my friend!_ "

_"_ _THEN WHO AM I, PANDA?"_

The aura pulsed, sending out a wave of heat that threw Po back against the stone fence. It broke apart, and Po fell back into the pool with a thunderous splash. When the panda surfaced, coughing and spluttering, she was gone. He clambered back out, angrier than ever. "Yeah, you'd better run! The next time you try to pick on me, I'll bring the thunder down on you so hard your ancestors' hair will stand on end!"

He brushed the water off as best as he could, and then walked to the door. Again, he really hoped he hadn't made a mistake.

* * *

Still inside his cage, Mantis was starting to get cramps when Izumi stepped, followed by two soldiers. She strode right up to Long Feng, who was mumbling to himself at the map table. He looked up, and his brow arched. "What's the status of the mission?"

"Our men are setting up a trap as we speak." Izumi said. She looked a little afraid, but not of Long Feng, even though he still looked like a sizzling powder keg. "But we thought it best if I gave the news personally."

"What is it?"

"There have been sightings of the target in the prison. He's here."

 _Oh man_ , Mantis thought. His friends looked like they were all having the same thought.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"I-"

"Just go!"

Izumi nodded and left, passing Colonel Sao. "What's the status of _your_ mission?"

"It's taken an unexpected turn, sir." Sao looked much more fearful. "I was on my way into the city when I was told that Ember had been sighted several times in the palace. We know that for some reason she's fixated on the panda..."

"Indeed." Long Feng said, putting a hand to his stump. "Once we have the panda back in our hands, that vile witch will have no choice but to- _what_?"

Sao leaned close and spoke quietly, but Mantis's ears were nearly as good as Shifu's. "Sir, I think we should pull back all the men and form a defence strategy."

Long Feng looked affronted. "Need I remind you that Lady Hei Nuwang personally instructed me to recapture the panda _and_ the creature, at _any_ cost?"

"I know how much trust she has in you, but the situation has changed."

"We've taken the city. We're in control. That's all that has changed."

Sao shook his head. "You don't understand. Ember has powers we have never foreseen her having. She's even stealing our own men from us! And then there's the creature we know nothing about. It just won't die, but our men are. All this is because of a war we've started." He was gripping his sword now. "Sir, we're in over our heads. We need a new plan."

Long Feng turned his head to glare at Mantis and the other prisoners. "Do you think they know anything?"

"Who?"

"The masters."

"Look at them, sir. I doubt they know anything."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Mantis muttered.

"Colonel, I want you to stay here for now." Long Feng said. "The guards should find the panda soon enough."

"If they live long enough." Sao said.

* * *

So far, so good.

Po opened the heavy door and stepped into the prison, where he found it to be just as he expected it to be. A great big room that could fit three Jade Palaces, with six levels of prison cells on all eight sandy brown walls. On each level, every cell was connected by a series of walkways shaped like a star. All the cells were empty. Emperor Xian and his family were being held elsewhere. "Darnit." Po was disappointed, but knew he had to stick to the plan. Get through the prison, get to the guard tower, get into the central building from there, and find his friends.

That plan sounded a lot better thought out in his head.

The more Po treaded across the cobbled floor of the prison, the more he realised that there was something really weird about it. It wasn't just the empty cells. Everything that should be inside the cell, wooden benches, icky buckets, were gone. The bottom floor of the prison was unusually empty. There were no weapon racks, chains, cages or guards. Weirdest of all were the hundreds of purple crystals placed _everywhere_. They were on the walls, the floor, the walkways, under the walkways and on the ceiling. They looked like they had been placed recently. Po kept as far away from them as possible as he looked for the other exit.

He saw it, a big archway on the opposite side.

* * *

Hidden in a balcony three levels up inside the secondary prison hall, the one reserved for temporary prisoners, Izumi kept a close eye on the archway that connected this hall to the bigger hall. The archway was a crucial part of the plan, second only to the hundreds of crystals that had been placed everywhere in both halls. The crystals in the big hall were just a precaution in case the target somehow managed to get through the archway in time. The small hall was where the trap had been set.

The soldiers were in place, hands gripping the ropes that held up the buckets of water that dangled over the burning torches that kept the crystals from activating. Izumi reminded herself to ask Hei Nuwang where she had acquired them afterward. One soldier had their hand on the lever that would spring the trap. Izumi had her paw held up so the soldier could see the signal when it came.

The third most crucial part of the plan would come in through the exit any minute now. Izumi stayed crouched behind the fallen table as she waited. She saw a shadow coming from the archway and tensed.

* * *

Po walked through the archway to find another empty, but smaller prison. This one had a couple of balconies high up with exits of their own. There were even more crystals here than they were in the last room. Stranger still were the buckets dangling above the torches that lit the room. Po stared at them, utterly puzzled by their existence. People often called him odd, but even he knew that there was no sane reason for all this.

"What the hell?"

"What the _hell_?"

The heavy looking door up ahead had just opened, and in had walked the masked man. He'd stopped dead when he saw the panda.

"You!" Po jumped into his stance.

The masked man advanced. "Get out of here! You'll ruin every-"

He froze and looked up. "Damn it!" He rushed right at Po. Po threw a punch, but it missed as the masked man rushed right past him.

A clanking sound filled the hall, and by then it was too late. The masked man cleared the archway just as the bars came down, blocking all exits and completely sealing the prison.

_A trap?! Dangit!_

It got worse from there. The ropes holding the buckets went slack, spilling water over the torches.

For a thousandth of a second there was complete darkness. Then the whole world turned bright purple. Po yelled and covered his eyes, staggering from the violent intensity of the hundreds of crystals that had come alive the moment the torches were doused. He opened his eyes just a crack and saw the exit doors, forced shut when the bars slammed down. They were his only way out. Holding his arm over his screwed up eyes, Po slowly staggered towards the door.

He heard the sound of a monster dropping to the ground behind him.

And that was when the bars slid back up.

* * *

Tigress didn't know if it was just luck or the disguise was better than she thought it would be, but no-one had recognised her since she'd been enlisted along with ten other men on a special mission in the royal prison. That made it easy for her to save Po's big bahuna.

Under Izumi's command, they'd been sent to set a trap using the prison's innovatively designed defence system.

Tigress had hated that she had no choice but to participate. For all she knew, something she cared about was down there, maybe even Po himself, and here she was working with the enemy to capture them. However, she had also been in the best position to do something about it. She knew everything there is to know about the defence system, so she'd known just what to do to sabotage the trap if and when the opportunity came. She'd grinned behind her mouth cover as she imagined the look on Izumi's face when her own soldier foiled her plot.

So she'd listened intensely along with the other members of the party as Izumi detailed every aspect of the plan, up to including the intended bait. It had been quite a surprise when she learned that their intended target was a monster.

Her place by the lever that activated the defence system, on a balcony at the top level, had given her a clear view of the archway. The trap was simple. Wait for the creature to follow the bait into this hall, and then on Izumi's signal Tigress had to lower the bars, sealing the room. Then the other soldiers doused the flames, allowing the crystals' natural luminescence to flood every inch of the hall with light, leaving no shadow for the creature to escape through. An ingenious plan. No wonder Izumi's former boss had made her second in command.

Tigress had been focused on Izumi, hiding on a lower balcony, when the bobtail gave the signal. She'd pulled the lever. The bars had come down. The torches were doused. She'd shielded her eyes from the purple light.

That was when she had heard Po yell.

She'd looked over the balcony and seen Po staggering, blinded by the light. Her heart had leapt with joy while her stomach lurched. She had seen the creature, eyeing Po from a walkway above him. And now she was pushing the lever back up as the creature dropped down behind him.

The sound of the bars receding from inside the archway caught the creature's attention. Turning away from Po, it sprinted through the archway and was gone. Po stood there for a moment, clearly shaken by what had almost happened, then ran for the doors on the other side and disappeared himself. Izumi shrieked vicious curses from her balcony.

Tigress sighed in relief behind her mouth cover. At least for now, Po was safe.

She heard footsteps heading for her balcony, but stayed collected. No-one had seen what she did. Time to take advantage of that.

A red-eyed horse stepped onto the balcony. "What happened?" He asked with the emotion of a woodblock.

 _Find the enemy's weakness and take advantage of it._ That's what Master Shifu always said. Izumi and her superiors had very little knowledge of the creature and its abilities. An unorthodox weakness, but a weakness nevertheless.

Tigress put on the best disturbed male voice she could. "I don't know what happened. I pulled the lever, but then it pushed itself back up. I couldn't move it at all!" She pulled the lever and feigned shock when it worked. "I-it was covered in shadows! The creature must have moved it somehow! You have to believe me!"

"Izumi must know about this." the soldier left. He appeared on Izumi's balcony minutes later. One dull explanation later, Izumi tossed him onto the walkway.

Tigress relaxed. Her cover was safe for the time being. Her smile faded somewhat as she thought of Po. It was so tempting to just leave and find him, but there would be no helping the royal family if they both got recaptured. She couldn't take the chance of anyone becoming suspicious. At least not yet.

"Po..." She whispered. "I'm sorry, but now is too risky."


	27. Dark Water

_It was believed by everyone who knew that Shifu had been suspicious of Su ever since the incident at the fortress of White Fortitude. The truth was that his suspicions had been aroused long before that, not very long after Su came to the Jade Palace._

_Though she wasn't a prodigy like Tigress, Po or Tai Lung, she couldn't have been a better student. Smart, obedient, dedicated to excellence of self. And yet, Shifu couldn't deny his feelings. At first he'd dismissed those feelings as paranoia after a lifetime of encountering the most bizarre supernatural entities, but many of Su's aptitudes felt... forced, like they were literally just coming out of nowhere. On the other hand she was just a peasant girl from a rural panda village, so there was no reason to suspect that there was anything abnormal about her. Still, he'd resolved to keep an eye on her from a distance, leaving her training to Po and the Five._

_Then the day came when a noble and his fiancé from a neighbouring province came to the Valley of Peace with the intention of being wed in his hometown. Shifu and his students had all been invited, partly to deter would-be kidnappers, and Mr. Ping had been hired as wedding chef on Po's recommendation. As for Crane, he'd jumped at the chance to be wedding planner once more._

_The day before the wedding, the palace servants and Crane applied the finishing touches to the wooden stage where the wedding would commence. When the painting was done and the flowers were hung, the workers left the stage for their lunch break, leaving Shifu alone to secretly admire his student's handiwork. Crane had truly outdone himself this time. The only other person was the official, a ram, who would direct the bride and groom during the ceremony, standing in the middle of the stage and mumbling the words on a scroll he was reading. Shifu was standing near the edge of the stage, hands behind his back, humming softly to a tune that Viper had gotten stuck in his head, when Su nervously approached him._

_He heard her before her saw her and turned his head, stopping her cold. "Shouldn't you be at the palace?" He asked._

_"_ _Um..." Su was tightly holding a small jar with both paws. "Po said Crane needed glue."_

_Normally Zeng was in charge of deliveries, but he was on a weeklong trip and the moment and wasn't expected to be back until later today._

_"_ _Crane is on his lunch break at Mr. Ping's. Once you've delivered it, go straight back to the palace." Su was about to step off the stage when Shifu caught a whiff from the jar that was definitely not glue. "Stop. Let me see that."_

_Su slowly tilted the jar so Shifu could look inside. He saw a purple translucent sauce. "Is that the stuff Po puts on dumplings to make them sticky?" He scowled as memories of his last encounter with the substance came to the surface._

_Su looked into the jar herself. "Is that what it is? Po couldn't find proper glue so he gave me this instead."_

_"_ _No." Shifu said at once. "No, we are not using that. Go to the carpenter's, he should have some glue we can use."_

_"_ _Why? What's wrong with it?"_

_"_ _For one thing, it's not real glue. Did you know he once destroyed the training hall with this stuff?"_

_Su stared. "Woah. What's in this?"_

_Shifu quickly remembered. "I think he used honey, sticky plum sauce, and plaster."_

_"_ _Ewww!" Su stuck out her tongue and held the jar away from her. "I ate that this morning!"_

_"_ _Just get rid of it and get some glue from the carpenter. He's five buildings down from Mr. Ping's."_

_Su did a little bow and went to get down from the stage. Neither of them saw the fallen flower until she slipped on it, falling back into Shifu and dropping the jar. It didn't shatter, but sticky dumpling sauce spilled out into a purple puddle while Su and Shifu both fell on their rears. Su pushed away from him, mortified. "Sorry, sorry, sorry! I'm such a loser!"_

_Even though his bad leg was throbbing from the fall, Shifu kept his voice even. "You are not a loser. Accidents happen, Su."_

_Su stood up, still looking like she felt terrible. "I thought Master Oogway said that there are no accidents."_

_"_ _... Just help me up."_

_Su held out her paws and Shifu took them. She must be very embarrassed for them to be this sweaty, Shifu thought as he got to his feet. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing that a mop and bucket can't fix."_

_Unable to look him in the face, Su looked down at the wooden floor instead. "I'll clean it when I come back."_

_"_ _You can let go of my hands now, Su."_

_Su tugged, but her paws wouldn't come away. "I'm trying."_

_Shifu tugged himself, with a sinking feeling that it wasn't sweat he had felt._

Darnit, darnit, darnit! _He couldn't let the bride and groom see this. It would be a humiliation. If he could get them both apart before the sauce set..._

_He tugged harder, stepping back to get more force into it. Helpless before the older, stronger red panda, Su could only follow as she too tried to extricate her sauce covered paws. No matter how much they both struggled, the sauce had already done its work. In his increasing frustration Shifu dragged Su all the way to the centre of the stage, where the official finally noticed them and stepped up to try and separate them... right as Zeng dropped down before them. He smoothed his feathers, saw the two of them on the wedding stage holding each other's hands with the speechless official standing before them, and dropped the scroll he was holding._

_"_ _Master, what on earth are you doing?!"_

_"_ _Zeng..."_

_"_ _With all due respect, she's too young and you're too-"_

_"_ _Shut your beak and get some hot water! Now!"_

_After a very undignified walk down the street, enduring the stifled sniggers of passing villagers, they had reached Mr. Ping's shop to find two stools and a pot of warm water waiting for them. Crane was there too, somehow managing to keep a straight face as he watched them sit down and dunk their joined hands in the pot. All the while Shifu still bore that same death glare on his reddened face. As for Su, she looked like she had no idea what to think of her predicament. At least there was a silver lining at the end of it. Once they were separated and returned to the Jade Palace, they'd found that Crane had already informed his fellow students of what had happened. All through dinner Po, Monkey and Mantis in particular were snickering behind their noodles as they made joke after joke after joke. Ultimately Shifu couldn't find it in his heart to stop them, for by then he too had seen the funny side of the incident._

_It had also reminded him of why he'd offered to have Su train to improve her clumsiness in the first place, to deal with the clumsiness and self-loathing she had so clearly displayed on the stage. Certainly not because he was suspicious of her. Behind his smile and laughter, he cursed himself for forgetting. He would never do so again._

* * *

Shifu couldn't help but be reminded of that particular event when the water he and Su waded through went so deep they were up to their chests. It was much colder than the pot of hot water that had freed them, but at least this time he and Su weren't holding hands because they were stuck together.

It hadn't taken them long to find a sloped tunnel that hopefully would lead them to the bottom of that cavern where the pheasant had fallen. Unfortunately said tunnel happened to be flooded, and only got deeper as they descended. Thank heavens for the torch they'd found in another tunnel, next to a discarded tiny dagger. Shifu had quickly determined that the blade had been dipped in a powerful paralytic toxin that acted in seconds, just like the pheasant had said. It must have been how Viper and the others had been captured. At least it confirmed that it certainly wasn't monsters they were dealing with.

The water got deeper, and the ceiling got lower. By the time the tunnel floor stopped sloping and became level, they were up to their necks and the ceiling was an inch over their heads. Shifu stopped and backed out into shallower water with Su. "You should probably stay here until I return. I think it'll be safer."

Right at that moment they heard unfamiliar voices coming from up the tunnel where they had came from.

_Soldiers. So they've found the entrance. Where have they been?_

Su raised an eyebrow. "Safer? Master, you are out of your red and white mind."

Shifu groaned. He supposed he should have seen this coming. As a consequence of gaining the confidence and courage she needed, Su was no longer afraid to speak her mind. "Stay quiet and do not let go of my hand. I should warn you it will be very claustrophobic in there."

"Just to be clear, claustrophobic is the one where you're scared of claws, right?"

"Enclosed spaces." Shifu with a chuckle, and they continued on, keeping the torch above the water as best as they could. Su, meanwhile was holding onto Oogway's staff, since Shifu didn't have a third hand.

Shifu couldn't deny a growing anxiety as they waded through the enclosed space, with only ten inches between the surface and the ceiling. He was starting to shiver as well, now that his body from the neck down was entirely submerged. The only warmth he had was the heat from the torch and Su's paw in his. When he looked back he noticed that she looked just as miserable as he did. Farther back he saw nothing but darkness. Whoever they had heard did not appear to be following them.

Just when he was thinking that they would have to go under completely, the ceiling went higher and the tunnel starting sloping upwards. With a sigh of relief he climbed out of the water onto damp land and pulled Su up with him. "We should rest." He said at once. He was shivering very lightly, and neither he nor Su had anything to change into. He set the torch in a crack in the ground, making up a very odd looking campfire, and they sat down to let the heat dry them. As he rubbed his arms, he noticed something peculiar. "How are you not shivering from that water?" He asked.

Su shrugged. "I don't know. For some reason, water has always liked me."

"I suppose that's one way of putting it." Shifu reached behind for his tail and squeezed out most of the water.

Water. Su. Snow. With that last word, Shifu's heart seemed to stop mid-beat

The day Su accidentally pulled off a perfect split, it had been raining.

In the Himalayas, a land covered in snow, she had displayed a startling level of intelligence even for herself and somehow healed Xian's severed artery.

Today, she felt no repercussions whatsoever from spending several minutes in freezing cold water.

Water. Her mind and body are strengthened by water.

"Master Shifu?" Su had noticed the strange look on his face.

Shifu heard her and stared back at her. It sounded ridiculous, yet at the same time it made sense.

_We've had it wrong from the beginning. She's no prodigy. Not a conventional one, anyway. Somehow she has a connection with one of the five elements that strengthens her every time she is near it. But how? Is this something to do with her past life? Is this why the Children of Nuwa want her? Gods, I wish I had all the answers, but I don't._

_But maybe that pheasant does._

"We need to move." He said standing up and pulling out the torch.

Su got up without protest, and they resumed their journey up the tunnel. They didn't get far before the tunnel ended and they reached the big cavern with the bridge and pool. They had emerged at the bottom, at the edge of the pool. The pheasant had fallen down here, but it was very unlikely that she had stayed. Shifu searched the ground for traces, and soon found a trail of small puddles leading from the pool to another tunnel.

Mengxiang, the pheasant was called. That was what Su had called her, and Mengxiang had been just as shocked as Shifu had been that Su knew her name.

"Su, I've been putting this off until now, but how did you know that woman's name?"

"It just came to me." Su said. That was all she could say.

Shifu felt a twinge of disappointment, and then another thought struck him. "Have you had any headaches or nightmares recently?"

Su shook her head. "Not for a couple of months. I did have one the other day, but that was because of something else."

"Were you treated well by... the order?"

_Nothing. No rage. No hate. The voices are gone. For heavens sake, Shifu, all these questions are just getting in the way! Find Mengxiang and find out what she knows!_

"Come on!" He said gruffly, and so they went into the tunnel, keeping their eyes on the trail of puddles. When the tunnel opened up on the other end they stopped in their tracks.

Shifu nearly covered Su's eyes, until he remembered that the dozen soldiers in the cavern were merely paralyzed, not dead. So this was what had happened to the search parties. The soldiers back down the tunnel must have been the lucky ones. "They're just paralyzed, Su." He said quickly, just in case. To his chagrin he didn't see Viper, Qiang, Boar or Su's parents amongst the victims. There were a lot of small boulders though, that had likely fallen away from the walls and ceiling over the centuries.

That was when he spotted Mengxiang, dripping with water as she leaned against a rock on the other side of the cavern. She didn't look at all fazed by her fall, and that puzzled Shifu. A fall from that height should have caused at least a little damage.

"I've been waiting for you." the pheasant said. She glanced at Su before continuing. "I think I may have acted too impulsively on that bridge."

"You _think_?" Shifu asked. "Just who exactly are you?"

"When I told my people who you were, they suggested that you were less likely to interfere if I told you the truth. I've thought things over and decided that they were right." Mengxiang pushed herself off the rock. "If you come with me, I promise I will tell you everything you need to know about Ember and Hei Nuwang."

Shifu subtly nudged Su behind him, sure that this was a trap.

"Your sisters are identically mad. Why on earth should I believe that you are any different?"

"Because I sent my people back to the village. Right now I am facing you alone." Mengxiang smirked. "But I can still render you unconscious before you could say 'inner peace'. If I still wanted to take you prisoner, I would have done so by now. You can either come with me and be reunited with your friends or go back and face the twenty-two men my people have not yet captured. I know you've faced worse and come out smelling like roses, but you can't say the same for Su."

Shifu's eyes narrowed. "What about _them_?" He asked, gesturing to the soldiers littering the cavern floor.

"I'll alter their memories and return them to the forest. After that the paralysis will fade after three hours. Will you come with me or not?"

Shifu and Su looked at each other. Su gave a tiny nod. Shifu sighed, his decision made.

"What choice do I have?" He asked.

Mengxiang gave a very bitter smile.


	28. A Surprise Prisoner

The melancholy tune that Mantis was tapping on the bars of his little cage was cut short when Sao strode into the central hall. Mantis, Crane, Monkey and Mei Ling all looked up as the fox made his way up to Long Feng, who was poring over a small map at the table. "Sir, we've searched half the palace. No sign of the panda so far, but we're still looking."

"Good. It's only a matter of time, now." Long Feng did not look up from the map.

"Sir, you don't look well."

"Any word on Ember or the creature?" Long Feng spoke her name like it was a curse.

"Izumi is on her way. I should warn you, she does not look happy."

Mantis peeked through the bars at the rhino. Long Feng had broken a sweat, and his thick hand was a fist as he clutched the map. _Sao's right. Long Feng's been on edge for hours._

"Got him." Mei Ling whispered suddenly.

"Huh?" the boys asked.

"That croc in the corner by the archway. He's got our keys."

She gestured with a finger. They all looked and saw which soldier she was talking about.

"That's great, except he's way over there and we're chained to a pillar." Mantis muttered.

"Well, one thing at a time." Mei Ling replied.

At that moment Izumi entered, followed closely by several soldiers and the masked man. They'd rushed into so quickly that three other soldiers, including the croc, were knocked aside before they could move. With a face like thunder Izumi stopped before Long Feng and Sao. "With all due respect, general, was there anything you didn't tell me about this creature?"

"Nothing. Your guess is as good as mine!" Long Feng said impatiently. "What the hell happened?"

Along with his friends, Mantis listened as Izumi explained how she and her team had succeeded in sealing the creature and the Dragon Warrior in their trap in the prison, only for them both to escape.

"They got out?" Long Feng asked, his voice rising with every word. "You locked them in _and they got out?!_ "

"Don't blame me! Somehow the creature deactivated the defence system! Before we could restart it that monster and the panda escaped!"

Long Feng rolled up the map and slammed it on the table, startling the nearest soldiers. "Sao, go straight to the prison at once and find that panda! "

Sao didn't move. "Sir, we are in over our heads! You have to speak to Lady Hei Nuwang and ask for her help!"

Long Feng turned away, muttering under his breath. "I bet she released them. Ember..."

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Just go!"

As Sao left, Izumi stepped closer. "Sir, I have another plan to catch that monster, but I'm going to need a few things."

"Well?"

While Izumi leaned into Long Feng's ear and spoke softly, Mantis's attention was drawn to the group of soldiers which had stopped close to their pillar. One in particular caught his eye, standing a mere three feet from them. In a moment the soldier glanced at him. Mantis saw a pair of amber eyes above the mouth cover and started grinning like an idiot.

Izumi stepped back from Long Feng. "Do I have your permission?" She asked.

"Do whatever you want, so long as you don't let it escape again!"

Izumi saluted him and turned back to her soldiers. "We're leaving."

The masked man muttered unhappily as he and Izumi led the soldiers out. No-one but Mantis noticed the amber eyed soldier flick their wrist. A tiny object sped through the air in a faint blur that only Mantis's keen eyes could see, and he caught it as it flew through the bars of his cage. He quickly hid it behind his back, the key that the soldier had procured from the croc as they bumped into him, and watched said soldier leave the hall with their comrades.

_Thanks a bunch, Tigress._

He was about to stealthily stick the key in the lock of his cage when he noticed the paper wrapped around it. Upon unrolling he found it to be a tiny hand drawn map of the palace grounds. A building he recognised as the library had been circled, and someone had written a short message next to it.

_The royals are being held here. Help them._

* * *

In the royal library that stood north of the guard tower, Emperor Xian was flabbergasted. He'd been taken prisoner by the rogues who had taken over his city. He'd been chained up along with his family and tied to a column in the middle of the cavernous room. None of those things had stunned him more than this.

If any guards were in the room, he would have asked them this. "Alright, I understand that orders are orders, and you were ordered to invade my city, hold me hostage, and basically throw your weight around like the thugs you are. I understand that perfectly. By why... why exactly is _he_ here?"

And then he would have pointed at the goose with the noodle bowl hat who had been chained between him and Haoxin De Nushi. They'd brought in Mr. Ping some time ago and put him with the others, giving no explanation as to how and why they'd abducted him. At least Haoxin was happy to see him, and they'd exchanged a few kisses and starting talking non-stop since the guards had left. Xian didn't bother stopping them. Considering their current predicament, they had nothing better to do. At least Zan seemed to be taking his captivity well, looking perfectly comfortable sitting next to his anxious mother, Zu Chunhua. As for his adopted grandson, Lu Kang, thank heavens Xian had sent him out of the city to visit a friend before the invasion began. He doubted that the Children of Nuwa would go after him, not when they already had the emperor himself in their clutches.

Speaking of guards, Xian was starting to think that they had been gone a long time. As emperor, he was the most valuable hostage in the city, so Long Feng would be mad to not have him guarded at all times. The guards who brought Mr. Ping in had left immediately after they'd heard a commotion outside, but had yet to return. Something wasn't right. He just knew it.

"What about Di Tan Master Eagle?" Mr. Ping asked after Haoxin was unable to inform him of Po's whereabouts. "Are they alright?"

"I do not know." Haoxin replied with distress. "We have not seen them since the palace was taken. Besides, it is Master Eagle Jr."

"Oh, of course!" Mr. Ping would have smacked himself on the forehead if it weren't for the chains. "I hope they're alright."

"Me too. Mr. Ping, what on earth are you doing here?"

Mr. Ping had already explained how he was abducted from his noodle shop ten days ago, so he cut right to the chase. "As leverage against my son. Apparently my son has escaped."

Xian smiled for the first time since his imprisonment. Maybe all was not lost.

"What about Grandmaster Beetroot and the Five?" Haoxin asked.

"What about Tigress?" Zan called from the other side of the pillar.

"All missing, from what I overheard." Mr. Ping replied. "It's an absolute mess. If it gets any worse I'll have another heart attack!"

"Mr. Ping! Do not speak like that!" Haoxin exclaimed. "The last thing we need is your heart condition making a comeback!"

"Your what condition?" Zan asked with a little less levity.

"Nothing, dear." Haoxin said quickly. "Speaking of which, Mr. Ping, you are still feeling alright, aren't you?"

"Like a million freshly boiled noodles." Mr. Ping assured her. "Honestly, my lady, I'm fine."

"I am sorry for being such a fusspot, but after my own sickness, I worry about you."

Xian grimaced. The day Haoxin had been diagnosed with a terminal heart condition had been a dark day for all of them. It had been two years before the fire. Haoxin had collapsed during a Xian and his beloved Yujin's wedding feast. She'd been given two months at the most to live. A day later a miracle had happened. She'd sprung up out of bed and eager to prepare for her daughter's fifth birthday, To this day no doctor had been able to explain her recovery, but Xian would be forever thankful to the gods that had seen fit to let her live. After the loss of his family, Haoxin had been like the mother he never had.

The doors opened at last, and in walked Izumi, the masked panther, and a dozen soldiers. They stopped dead. "Where the hell are the guards?" Izumi asked.

"Don't ask us, we're in chains." Xian replied snidely.

"Where are they? Spit it out, blue blood!"

"Take these chains off and I'll tell you."

Izumi and the masked panther shared a troubled look, and Xian knew his earlier suspicions were correct. Something had gone wrong.

Izumi's expression hardened and she approached the captives with a set of keys. "Come on, your highness. It's time to make yourself useful."

* * *

Po was almost out. After escaping the prison trap of blinding purple evil, he'd dived face first into an empty barrel in the corridor outside, and stayed as still and silent as possible as Izumi and her brainwashed thugs scoured the prison for their lost quarry. Eventually the corridor fell silent, and after five minutes with no sign of Izumi, her soldiers, the masked man or the creature, Po climbed back out.

Well, he would have if his butt could make it past the head hoop. He wiggled his legs, twisted his hips, and pushed at the bottom, but all he achieved was a painful tumble on his side.

"Ow. Great. _Ow._ " At least now he could punch out the bottom with both fists. It was a tight squeeze, but ultimately he pulled himself free. After giving the barrel a small kick for his trouble, Po continued on his way. He met no soldiers or monsters when he reached the wide, darkly lit stairs leading out of the prison and into the bottom of the guard tower. Po saw high they went, so high he couldn't see the top of the shaft, and crossed his arms. "We meet again." He huffed and puffed and started to climb.

* * *

Sutoraiki gazed at the weapon in Lady Hei Nuwang's paws with genuine interest. It looked nothing like that of a traditional knife. It looked to be made of pure white crystal, with black-blue flecks in the sharp edge of the blade. His mistress had walked into the laboratory with the knife just as Sutoraiki was relabeling the needles containing all the chi he used in his experiments.

"My lady, if I may be so bold, that is no ordinary knife, is it?"

"Oh, so you noticed." Hei Nuwang said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She did not look happy.

"I heard about the situation in the city. I'm sure General Long Feng has it under control."

"And what if he doesn't? Remember what happened last time a general of ours went up against that bi-" She stopped and all emotion disappeared from her face. "I just don't want a repeat incident. Anyway, I came here to tell you that I am leaving for the Imperial City to deal with the situation myself, and I don't know when I will return."

"I know you will return quickly."

"Until I come back you are to continue your work. If there is anything you need, talk to my colleague."

"I will, mistress. Good luck."

Sutoraiki nearly asked about the knife again, but Hei Nuwang was already gone.

* * *

With one last, shuddering gasp, Po dragged himself through the open trapdoor at the top of the stairs and sprawled himself on the floor. "Dragon Warrior... one... Stairs... zero."

He turned over, grabbed a helmet off a paralysed soldier, and threw up into it. Then he realised what he was lying next to and jumped to his feet.

Po counted four of them, all lying frozen on the floor, still holding their blades and spears. He hoped the crazy dragon lady who did this wasn't still here.

Just to make sure he'd entered the right guard tower, Po found the nearest window in the wide room full of barrels and looked out. There was his destination, the central building, right next door to Po's tower. This was definitely the place, he thought with relief. He noticed something else. The sun, slowly sliding down the darkening sky that still shed its embers. _Hadn't Top Dog said something about-_

Po groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. He had totally forgotten about Ember's plan to launch an attack on the royal palace at sundown. Hadn't that been the original plan? To wait until sundown and use the attack as a distraction while he looked for his friends? True, Ember had woken him up hours before then, but if he had still waited, then he wouldn't have had to worry his butt off about being spotted. The soldiers would have been too busy fighting Ember's glassy eyed citizens.

"You stupid little idiot." Po muttered. Once, just once, could things just go in his favour?

"Hey! Who you callin' little?"

Po heard an explosion of wood. One of the nearest barrels had been blasted apart. In its place stood Mantis with a big grin on his face.


	29. Hammerhead

Po was having the best five minutes ever. Ever since he had woken up in that prison cell, he had been scared poopless for Tigress, Shifu and all his other friends. To see Mantis against meant more than a bear hug could ever express.

Unable to speak with Po's chest fur in his mouth, Mantis had to push himself out of Po's ecstatic embrace. "It's good to see you too, Po. Where the heck have you been?"

Po proceeded to launch into an excited breathless tirade that lasted over thirty seconds. When he was done he took a long, wheezing gasp, giving Mantis a chance to take it all in. "So you originally came here to find Tigress?"

"That, and Ember kinda forced me too." Po took another, shorter gasp. "Have you seen Tigress? I have to know if she'd okay!"

"She's okay, Po. She helped me escape by posing as one of the soldiers. I don't know where she is, though."

 _So Tigress_ is _here!_ Po could have danced. "What about the others? Are they okay?"

"They're fine. They're still in the central building."

"Then what are we waiting for, let's go!"

"Hold it!" Mantis grabbed Po's foot before he could reach the door, and the panda fell on his face with a dull thud. Rubbing his face, he turned over to stare at Mantis. "Po, that place is crawling with soldiers. I only barely got out of there without being seen. Besides, we've still got a royal family to save."

"Huh?"

"You know? Emperor Xian? Haoxin de Nushi? Tigress's number one fan? They're being held in the library. We have to help them."

"If stupid Ember doesn't get in the darn way." Po said under his breath.

"What's that?"

"Nothing. The library isn't far from here, is it?"

"No. The garden in between doesn't have many guards and provides a lot of cover. I've already planned a route, so we won't be soon as long as you do as I tell you."

Po touched the Heart of China around his neck. "It's kinda weird when you say stuff like that. It's usually Tigress who does the planning and ordering."

Mantis rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. Two months and I still haven't got used to this. We should go. They'll realise I've escaped, eventually."

"Won't they realise that there's an inflator in the ranks when they find the key with our friends?"

"Don't worry, I put the key back in the soldier's pocket when no-one was looking. They won't suspect a thing. Come on, and I'll explain everything we've learned about the Children of Nuwa on the way."

* * *

When Sao was summoned to the front gate of the palace, the butterflies in his stomach that had been fluttering about since the arrival of the creature grew even more agitated.

God knows he had enough to worry about already, with the creature, Ember, the panda, and Long Feng's decline. Ember's telekinetic nerve attacks and the creature's deadly shadow trick had by now cost them a lot of men, and it was doing nothing to help Long Feng's growing instability. A few minutes ago Sao had learned that the rhino had given the order for their 'artificial' troops to be released from the warehouse, and the fox had not liked that one bit. Hei Nuwang had given those warriors to Long Feng to use only as a last resort. Their deployment could only mean one thing: they were no longer in control.

_Wait, were we ever? Or had our initial success merely lulled us into a false sense of security?_

Sao was also wondering about Hei Nuwang, and if this loss of control applied to her as well. It was her idea to attack the Imperial City and take the emperor prisoner. What was she thinking of the current situation? Was she just as concerned as Sao was? Was... _Was this all part of her plan?_

He had been on his way back to Long Feng to confront him with these thoughts when the brainwashed dog soldier intercepted him, insisted with those intense red eyes and dead voice that he come at once to the front gate. Irritated and nervous, Sao followed him across the palace grounds with one arm sheltering his head against the raining embers, wishing that the Children of Nuwa had used a means less disturbing than the hypnotic elixir. As they approached the front gate, Sao grew aware of a rhythmic, thunderous pounding on the massive, trembling doors of the gate. "What the hell is going on out there?"

"You will see." The soldier said tonelessly. They entered one of the two gate towers, climbed the stairs, and walked out onto the top of the wall. The bowmen were leaning over the parapet, aiming their weapons at an enemy Sao couldn't see. He strode over and looked down.

Glass-eyed citizens. Hundreds of them. An entire ocean of pigs, antelopes, geese, rabbits, and many more flooded the wide space between the city buildings and the palace wall. Every single one of them was carrying stolen blades, kitchen knives, farming tools, anything that could serve as a weapon. Every single one of them was facing the gates. Stunned, Sao looked to the gates himself, and his jaw dropped when he saw the source of the pounding. A massive elephant dressed in grey and black was striking the gates over and over with a hammer bigger than his head. What scared Sao most of all was that the elephant wasn't even putting a full swing into it. It merely tapped the gates like it was hammering a nail, but with each blow the great doors shook. They would not hold forever.

Sao stormed over to the unbrainwashed soldier in charge of guarding the gates and grabbed him by the chest armour. "Why aren't you firing?!"

"We've tried, sir! Look-" He gave a signal, and a soldier fired straight at the elephant's head. It didn't even notice as the arrow sunk into its skull. A second later the arrow disintegrated into glowing ash. As for the elephant's head, it was fully intact. "They're all the same! The empress must have cast some sort of spell!"

Even as he clenched his fists, Sao hardened his expression. He had to show strength. "Do everything you can to block the gates and stop that elephant before it breaks through. I must report this to the general."

"Yes, sir!" the soldier saluted him, but Sao was already making his way back down the tower. In next to no time he was back in the central hall, passing by the prisoners chained around the column, tpo focused on Long Feng to notice that for some reason Monkey had wrapped both arms around Mantis's cage.

"Sir!" He called out to Long Feng, who was leaning over the map table. Two rhino soldiers stood in his path, but soon stepped aside when they saw who it was. Sao went straight up to Long Feng, who did not look up. As he was about to speak, he saw that Long Feng wasn't looking down at a map, but a small painting of Ember before her attempted murder at the Children of Nuwa's hands. Ember's painted image had three knives embedded in her heart, neck and pelvis. "Sir, we have a serious problem."

"Of course we do! I've sent the claymen to hunt down her and any remaining enemies of the Children of Nuwa. Just focus on findin' that panda!"

If Sao wanted to get anywhere with the general, he couldn't lose his temper. "Sir... Ember's forces are attacking the gate. We must move quickly to form a sufficient defence."

Long Feng looked straight into his eyes. "The guards will take care of it. Ember and her little panda pet are th' main priority."

He turned back to the painting and with his one hand he plunged another knife into the panted Ember's arm.

Despite his natural instincts telling him to back away, Sao stepped forward. "Long Feng, we need to talk."

"Later."

"The hell with that! You can't seriously believe that Ember and Po are working together! Have you lost your mind?"

"No! Ember may have taken my arm, but she will never have my mind!" Long Feng glared at him. "Or perhaps it is you whose mind has been stolen?"

"Of course not!" Sao took a deep breath. "Sir, we were sent here by Hei Nuwang, supposedly to take the city and capture the emperor, and we have experienced nothing but misfortune since we started. A creature is running around killing people, and Ember has amassed an unkillable army at our doorstep..." _Go ahead, Sao. Say it._ "I fear we have been deceived."

He had just implied that Hei Nuwang, the woman to whom Long Feng had sworn allegiance a long time ago, had betrayed them. He fully expected the general to do something violent. Instead Long Feng merely stared at him like he had done something incredibly stupid. "Of course you were deceived! Hei Nuwang didn't want to risk someone letting it slip or Ember would figure out the real reason for this invasion!"

"What?"

Long Feng looked around, but none of the soldiers appeared to have overheard. He lowered his voice. "Ember is everything. You know that. Hei Nuwang wants her at any cost."

Sao went numb. "This invasion. It's a lie."

"Better than that." Long Feng leered. "It's a trap."

"We're just bait, aren't we?"

"Did you ever feel like we were expendable?"

Sao's fist started to rise.

"You son of a-"

"SIR!" Came the shout of a gorilla soldier, drawing their attention. The soldier was standing next to the prisoners, alarm written all over his face as he held up an empty cage.

* * *

Mei Ling had hoped that they could hide Mantis's escape for longer than that, but there was a silver lining: the hissy fit Long Feng threw once it was discovered that the cage was empty.

Her leg was still in agony after the jostling it endured when they searched her and her friends for the key to the cage, coming up empty handed. She did not know how Monkey had managed to hide it, and after everything Crane had told her about the primate in his letter, she was pretty sure she didn't want to. In any case, Master Tigress's gift to them was safe, and ready for when the opportunity for their own escape came around. She just hoped that Mantis had managed to get out the building by now. As for the croc who had been the former holder of the key, Long Feng was forced to spare his life after several witnesses confirmed that he had not gone anywhere near the prisoners since they were brought to the central hall, and the key was still found on his person.

"He must have picked the lock himself. It's the only way." Sao said.

"Or maybe that evil witch picked it for him!" Long Feng's entire body was heaving with rage. "Why in god's hell is she not goddamn dead?!"

"Is it me, or is that guy going off his rocker?" Monkey asked.

"Shurrup!" Crane whispered. "Don't provoke him!"

Mei Ling took a long, hard look at Long Feng's murderous expression, and the way he rubbed his stump. Ember's assault decades ago had to have damaged him in more ways than one.

* * *

Master Eagle Jr.'s work was almost done. For hours, or perhaps even days, he had led dozens of palace servants down the great passage, the one that led all the way from the royal bedrooms to the outskirts of the city. He'd endured the cramped, dark underground where he couldn't fully spread his great wings, knowing it would be worth it once the servants were safe. Even so, fearing for Xian and his family, having no idea if they were dead or alive, had been torture. If only he had gotten to them before Long Feng did.

At last they reached the end of the tunnel, where a big stone door stood waiting for them. Di Tan, the palace chef and Mr. Ping's idol, held up a torch so Eagle Jr. could see himself pushing the door open, filling the room with crimson sunlight. The avian warrior poked his head out, seeing lightly falling embers and a yellow and green countryside. As the servants filed out, Eagle Jr. turned to Di Tan, who knew full well the bigger bird would be going back. "There's a road on the other side of this field that will take you to the next city. You make sure these people get there in one piece."

Though clearly afraid, the old goose nodded. "Are you sure you're alright going back by yourself?"

"What choice do I have? All our men have been killed or subjected to the elixir. If- no, _when_ I find the royals, I'll tell them to meet you at the Red Lily Inn."

"You... probably shouldn't go without a weapon." Di Tan slowly pulled a big carving knife from his apron pocket and handed it over. "I know it's not a proper blade, but-"

"Thank you, Di Tan." Eagle Jr. slid the knife into his sash. "See you soon."


	30. The Spider's Web

With one turn of the key Emperor Xian was separated from the others, with his paws still cuffed in front of him. "What are you doing?" He asked as calmly as possible.

"We're leaving. And you're coming with us." Izumi said. "The rest of the prisoners will stay here."

"Where are you taking me?" Xian asked.

"You'll find out soon enough." The masked panther said as they took him out the room, leaving his family and Mr. Ping to watch fearfully from their column.

"If you do anything to hurt them, I'll personally drag you all to hell." Xian said the moment he lost sight of them. Izumi and the masked panther remained silent. Instead of taking him right out the building, Izumi and her cohorts led him down a corridor, heading deeper into the building. With a sinking feeling Xian realised they were heading in the direction of one of the secret passages that led out of the palace. They were planning to take him out of the city. _And away from my family, those sons of rats._

"Keep an eye on him." Izumi said to the masked man, who swiftly went over and placed a firm grip on Xian's shoulder, leaving him with no choice but to keep moving. They passed through a green corridor, crossed a hall full of artefacts such as the Sacred Scroll and the Giant Sword of Giantesses, then another corridor. Xian was aware of how quiet it was. The only other signs of life were the patrolling guards in hall of artefacts, whom Xian recognised with great pain. Before their subjection to the elixir, they were once his own men.

Infuriated, Xian thought of Long Feng, Sao, and Tujiu. One of them was dead, the other two apparently too cowardly to face him. What all three had in common was treachery. Tujiu had confirmed it himself before his horrific but well deserved death at Ember's hands. Tujiu and the other two had betrayed his father to the Children of Nuwa, leading to the Great Fire and everything that came with it. It was their fault his father, wife and son were dead. They deserved the same. Xian wished Tujiu was still alive so he could tear his heart out.

_If only you hadn't gotten there first, Ember. At least you made sure he suffered._

Soon they'd reached the other side of the building, entering a wide storeroom with stacked crates lining the walls. Even Xian didn't know what was in them. It was one of the lesser-used, dark rooms where the only light came from the corridor outside. A single table with several chairs stood right in the centre, where every now and then inventories would be written on scrolls. Opposite the open door, was a door hidden in the stone wall where the passage could be accessed. Izumi pushed a secret button on the wall, and the hidden door slid open. She waved a paw. Instead of dragging him into the passage, the masked panther planted Xian in one of the chairs and chained him to it by the waist. "You watch him while we check the coast is clear." Izumi said.

"You got it." said the masked panther.

Xian's political instincts kicked in, and told him that this last exchange sounded rehearsed. What was going on? The masked panther stayed at Xian's side while three soldiers disappeared into the passage, which sealed shut behind them. Izumi and her men, meanwhile, scattered across the room and pressed themselves against the towering crates. Xian watched with suspicion as they put on strange looking crowns, vanishing into thin air in an instant. _Shadow Crowns? Looks like they helped themselves to the hall of warriors before burning it down. What the hell are you doing, Izumi?_

* * *

The gorilla guard at the entrance to the library never saw the nerve pinch coming. Mantis jumped off his shoulder as he fell like a sack of bricks and waved to Po, signalling that it was safe to come out. Po came out from behind the flower bush, crawling on all fours until he and Mantis were literally inches from each other's faces. "Any more inside?" Po asked.

Mantis took a peek through the crack in the door. There was nobody in the entrance hall. "Empty. So far, so good."

"It wasn't that far. The garden's only thirty feet and-"

" _Get inside._ "

 _Woah. Probably not a good time for jokes._ Po quickly slipped into the building, followed closely by the bug.

* * *

Xian tested the chains. They were too strong to break. He looked around for signs of the soldiers that surrounded them, but the darkness and the crowns had completely concealed them. He looked straight ahead at the open door leading into the empty corridor outside. He looked behind at the hidden entrance to the passage. By now he was convinced that they weren't coming back. At least not to take him out of the city.

"What is going on here?" Xian finally asked.

"Quiet." Was the panther's response. It sounded shaky. It was the first time he had shown anything close to fear. "We're just wasting time."

Xian twitched when Izumi's voice came out of nowhere. "Stay where you are, wuss puss." The panther growled but did not leave Xian's side. "Anyway, it shouldn't be too long, now. We're the only soldiers left in the building. If it thinks we won't be coming back after we evacuate the emperor, it will be wanting to take this opportunity while it still has it."

 _It?_ Xian wondered but stayed silent.

"You have the weapon Hei Nuwang gave to you?" The panther asked.

"Yes. Buck up before it gets suspicious." Izumi said no more. The panther folded his arms and kept his eyes on the open doorway.

Xian turned as far as he could in the chair so he could look at the masked panther without straining his neck. "Alright, I've had enough. What are we really doing here?"

"I said shut that hole in your face."

"Tell me. Now!" _Or I'll do everything I can to ruin whatever you're planning._

The masked panther seemed to understand the meaning behind Xian's glare. "We've got a big fly that needs catching. If you want to see your family again, you will not mess this up."

_And I'm the big hunk of meat in the centre of the spider's web. If it's Master Shifu, his students or some other master, what did Izumi mean by 'it'?_

A shadow crossed the light that poked into the dark room, drawing Xian's tea coloured eyes to the doorway. On the far corridor wall, harshly lit with a dull yellow light from the hanging lanterns, he saw the approaching blurry shadow of something... something... _what in god's name?_ A soft, guttural growl emanated from the doorway, chilling the tiger's blood.

"Izumi, it's heading this way." The panther said softly. His shoulders were tense, his eyes like saucers behind his mask.

"Stay calm. You know what to do." said Izumi. "Maintain your positions, everyone. Do not move until I say."

Xian had frozen stiff. What had these people dragged him into?

* * *

At first, Mantis felt great relief when he and Po burst into the main library to find the royal family chained to the column, alive and unharmed. Then with a sinking feeling he realised that Emperor Xian was not with them.

Po, meanwhile, gaped when he saw his father. "Dad?!"

"Po?!" Mr. Ping's eyes lit up at the sight of the son he had been worried sick about for two months. "Po, you're okay!"

Po ran right over. "Dad, I can't believe this! They got you involved, too?"

The chains clinked as the goose shrugged. "It is an occupational hazard, being the Dragon Warrior's father and all."

"Pingy, dear, I don't think that's helping." Haoxin said. "We knew you would come, Dragon Warrior."

"Even if you weren't blue blooded, we'd still come." Po replied.

"Hey, our blood's not blue!" Zan said, giggling. "Only octopus's blood is blue!" He wiggled his legs. "Do our feet look like tentacles to you?"

"It's just a figure of speech." Po said, turning a little red. "Where's the emperor?"

"They took him away!" Haoxin said. "I think they're taking him out of the city!"

Mantis and Po looked at each other. "They couldn't have come out the front door, we would have seen them. Are there any other exits?"

"There's only the escape passage on the other side of the building."

"I'm going after them." Po said immediately.

"But Po!" Mr. Ping struggled against the chains. Po grabbed his shoulders, stopping him.

"Dad, I promise I'll come back to you, but I've gotta help Emperor Xian. Mantis, can you free them?"

Mantis lifted his arms. "Viper showed me how to pick a lock. I can manage. Once they're free I'll take them to the passage in the guard tower."

"But we're not leaving the city without Xian!" Haoxin said sternly. "We'll wait in the tower."

Po didn't doubt that for a second. "Oh, by the way, if you see Tigress, tell her I love her and I'm counting the days until we meet again!"

With that he took off, leaving Mantis to start working on the padlock holding all the chains together.

"I love Tigress, too!" Zan pouted. Despite their best efforts, all the grown-ups started sniggering. "What?"

* * *

Tigress couldn't blame Xian for looking so terrified when the creature merged in the doorway, almost completely silhouetted by the corridor torches.

"Okay, boys." Izumi whispered farther along the wall. "It's showtime."

Tigress had been rendered completely invisible by the Shadow Crown she wore, but even though the creature couldn't see her she was afraid. So far she hadn't been able to work out a plan to get Xian out of this, and now she had just ran out of time.

The creature growled curiously, its blank blue eyes flashing as it stepped further inside.

The masked man stepped back, his entire body tensed. "Let it get a little closer..." Izumi whispered, sounding worried herself. There was no telling what the creature or Long Feng would do if something went wrong this time.

The creature didn't appear to see them, but even so it looked around the room. After what happened in the prison, it was being cautious. Tigress was both impressed and worried by its intelligence. The Shadow Crowns must have worked, for it turned its attention back to the masked panther, who was still slowly backing away, leaving Xian still chained to the chair. The creature snarled and slowly advanced.

"Easy..." Izumi spoke softly so it wouldn't hear. "Let it get a little closer..."

Tigress went over the plan in her head. When Izumi gave the signal, they would ambush the creature before it reached either Xian or the panther, and Izumi would stab it with the strange knife Hei Nuwang had given her. Apparently there was another one like it in the black fortress. It had the ability to render immortal beings mortal, or at least something resembling mortal. If it worked on the creature, capturing it would be all too easy.

The masked man's back hit the concealed door to the passage, but he made no move to open it. He merely stared at the creature as it inched closer, coming within two feet of Xian. Xian was as still as a statue, not even turning his head to look at the monstrous thing. _Good. Stay still, Xian. Don't give it a reason to attack you._

It was passing right by the emperor, eyes fixed on the panther, when one of its inky black tendrils drifted towards Xian. The tiger flinched as it touched his face, and he gave a small grunt of revulsion.

The creature froze and looked right at him.

* * *

_Uh oh._

The creature bent down, bringing its face right up to Xian's. Xian kept absolutely still, inwardly damning himself for his mistake in not keeping silent. Its stare was like an icicle drilling into his soul.

He had heard rumours of this creature, the one that has been terrorising Long Feng and his army, dragging hapless soldiers through dark shadows to their deaths. To see it for the first time, up close and personal, filled him with terror that he hadn't felt since the night of the fire.

The rumours hadn't done it justice. Pure black all over, with a lean body that resembled no animal he had ever seen, black mist floating away from its flesh and mixing with the air, the creature was awe-inspiring. Xian couldn't stop himself from breathing in the mist. It felt like inhaling fog.

As it continued to scrutinise him, Xian thought of his family, and the terrifying possibility of never seeing him again. _I'm in chains. I'm no threat. Please, just leave me alone. Damn you, Izumi. Damn you for dragging me into this!_ His eyes turned in her general direction as he continued to curse her.

The creature looked where he had looked. It tilted its head, its glowing eyes searching for whatever Xian was looking at. A strange high-pitched clicking sound left its maw. Its eyes widened slightly.

Xian heard the masked panther curse, and knew then that it was over. Without a sound, it gave the panther a venomous look and let itself fall into the darkness that surrounded Xian, disappearing in an explosion of black vapour. Xian let out the breath he had been holding, as Izumi let out a few profanities of her own.

"What happened?!" She hollered.

"It figured it out!" The panther yelled back, punching the wall. "I knew this wouldn't work!"

"If you say 'I told you so,' I swear to god I will knife you! Now shut up! It could still be around here, somewhere! All of you, keep your crowns on! We might still be able to form an ambush if it comes back!"

Right on cue, the Dragon Warrior leapt into the room with a karate cry.

"Oh, come _on_!" Izumi yelled.

Xian merely smirked as Po looked around the room for wherever the bobtail's voice had come from. Seeing nobody, Po shook his head and went right into his stance, eyes on the masked panther. "You again! Let the emperor go or experience my full bodacity!"

"Panda, get out of here!" The panther snarled, advancing on Po. "It could still be around here!"

"Don't try to trick me, you masked marauder!" Po exclaimed. "Your little trap didn't work the first time and it won't work now!"

"Just get him!" Izumi yelled.

That was when several black tendrils slid out the walls and shoved dozens of big stacked crates right on top of them.


	31. The Labyrinth

Hei Nuwang could feel the blade of her special dagger tapping against her leg as she approached the gates to the city. Both gate towers had been reduced to cinders, and the gates had been resealed after Long Feng took over the city. For a mere mortal army, it would take a battering ram and an hour to break through the gates. Hei Nuwang was one woman, but no mere mortal. On her silent command, the crack between the doors filled with amethyst. She spread her fingers, and in response the amethyst expanded, steadily forcing the massive doors apart. The one foot thick wooden doors cracked and splintered. The left door broke away from its hinges and crashed to the ground. Hei Nuwang lowered her paw, and the purple translucent stone disintegrated. The whole process had taken less than thirty seconds, far faster than anything the dear departed Oogway's precious Hero's Chi could ever do. With the upstart tortoise on her mind, Hei Nuwang suddenly realised that she may not have remembered to tell her men to bring Master Shifu, Oogway's protégée and legacy, straight to her upon his capture. A long time ago Oogway had destroyed something precious from her, and returning the favour was the least she could do.

With a proud smile on her face, Hei Nuwang picked up the hem of her dress, stepped over the fallen door, and entered the city.

Her priorities were clear. The creature had to be stopped, now, before too many of their men were killed. She wanted it alive. She wanted to know what it was and what it had against her organisation. After that was the accursed Ember, and the score they had to settle. The invasion was a success in more ways than one. The disgusting traitor had taken the bait. And already Hei Nuwang had a plan.

* * *

Little bright lights were dancing in front of Po's eyes as he came to, ten seconds after dozens of crates had come crashing down on him, Xian, the masked panther and his invisible cohorts. He heard the sounds of men yelling somewhere else in the room. He felt a small hard object pressing lightly against his chest and sighed in relief. The Heart of China was still with him.

As he lifted a paw to touch the tender bump on his head, he realised that he was completely surrounded by crates. In a few seconds the once bare room had become a literal maze of crates and boxes piled up on each other to form walls three times his own height. Hopefully this one had an exit. _Which it probably won't! Man, I hate mazes! I always get lost!_

Though a mass of crates had blocked his path to Xian, they had fallen in a way that allowed him two paths from his current position. Po sucked in air through his nose and picked one. "When in doubt, head left!"

Two turns later he hit a dead end.

Po threw his head back and face palmed with both paws. "Every dang time!"

* * *

Mantis pulled his arm from the padlock as it fell to the floor, taking the chains with it. The royal family and Mr. Ping barely had time to rub their arms before the bug was ushering them out the library. "But what about my son?!" Mr. Ping was protesting.

"He'll be okay!" Mantis pushed at the goose's back. "There's a monster prowling about, and I have to get you out of here!"

Mr. Ping pushed back. "That's why I need to make sure Po is okay!"

"And he will! Please, Mr. Ping, Po wouldn't want you to get hurt!"

Mr. Ping kept pushing back. Mantis sighed deeply and lifted the goose over his head like a big ball of feathers. Ignoring Mr. Ping's cries of indignation, he carried him out the room.

* * *

Tigress had been buried alive, but not for long. The sound of Po's very audible groan of frustration revived her, and she forced herself out from between two flat crates, stepping free from the pile. Her arm was in pain from bending the wrong way but it didn't seem broken. Aside from that, a few bruises, aggravated ribs and a dented helmet she was okay. But what about Po and Xian?

_Po, you idiot... why did you have to show up here of all places?_

The large storeroom had become a labyrinth, and Tigress could hear Izumi cursing and screaming for anyone who could hear to find Po and Xian. The masked panther wasn't saying anything.

Tigress closed her eyes. Things had gone from bad to worse to hell in a matter of seconds, and now two of her allies were in real trouble. Po could handle himself if he hadn't been seriously hurt, but Xian had been chained to a chair when the crates fell. No matter what, Tigress had to get to him first. Once Xian was safe, she would come back for Po, who had just groaned again. Was he groaning because he was injured, or because of the constant dead ends?

With a plan in mind she headed towards the nearest path through the fallen crates. She stopped when another soldier staggered out from behind a big crate. His helmet was missing but he didn't appear to be injured. He saw Tigress and starting making his way over to her, stopping when they heard a scream from somewhere in the room. He was about to say something when he suddenly vanished from sight. "What the-"

A sudden explosion of black mist from where he had just been standing informed her that something had dragged the soldier into the ground through a silky black shadow, and it occurred to her that she might be next. Her heart skipped a beat and she cartwheeled to the side. Her wounded body screamed in response, but that wasn't nearly as important as the black tendril that had abruptly appeared in the spot where she had been standing, waving in the air as it searched for her. Soon it gave up and sank back into the shadow.

 _It's taking us out one by one._ Tigress's blood ran cold. "I've got to find them. _I've got to find them._ "

Tigress heard Po yell again, saw the nearest path and went for it.

* * *

Master Eagle Jr. was still in the tunnel, making his way underneath the palace's outer wall when he heard a faint, rhythmic pounding coming from somewhere above ground. It sounded like someone was striking something hard over and over. It couldn't be a battering ram. The palace had already been taken.

As he walked, the pounding got louder. What were they doing up there?

Fortunately it wasn't too difficult for Eagle Jr. to find out, for the tunnel had been built with secondary exits in the unlikely event of a cave in. They were so well hidden that you'd have to know they existed to have the slimmest chance of finding them. As the Emperor's closest friend and protector, Eagle Jr. was one of them, and he quickly found a small door in the wall, which hopefully would give him a good view of what was happening. He opened the door, finding himself in a dark, narrow alley. The pounding was coming from the far end. The sunset was nearing its end, so the shadows provided good cover as Eagle Jr. approached the end of the alley and looked around the corner.

A great crowd of people separated his hiding place from the palace gates, and towering over them stood an elephant steadily striking the gates over and over with a great hammer. He could see places where the thick wood was starting to splinter.

As Eagle Jr. watched, two guards standing above the gates aimed their bows down at the elephant and fired, striking him in the head. Both arrows burned and disintegrated upon touching him.

_Now that's what I call a hothead. This must be the Dragon Empress's doing._

If Ember was here, things were worse than Eagle Jr. had thought. He had to find Xian before they broke through.

Before he could be spotted, Eagle Jr. rushed back into the passage, quietly shutting the door behind him. Back in the main passage, he picked up the pace, nearly walking right into the dozen big cats that blocked the last twenty meters to the entrance to the royal bedrooms. At least he thought they were cats until he saw that they were less flesh and blood and more terra cotta. More of the Children of Nuwa's alchemic madness, Eagle Jr. thought with a sigh. "Bloody hell." Every single clay warrior was armed. They slowly advanced on Eagle Jr., who pulled out his kitchen knife. "You're unlikely to have actual brains, but I'll say this anyway; don't come any closer."

They kept coming. Eagle Jr. sighed again and attacked. He'd warned them.

* * *

Po was running out of both paths and patience. No matter where he went, which path he took, it always ended with more boxes. He didn't like taking his anger out on people, but it felt so good to pummel every soldier he ran into in his search for the emperor. Almost every soldier, he reminded himself with a shiver. Some had been dragged into the ground or crates by shadows before they could try to attack him. The creature was still around here somewhere, and Po didn't want to stick around and be its next victim. Po was actually a little irritated by the creature. Pushing tons of crates on top of him was very uncool. Almost as uncool as the five soldiers he ran into around the next corner. "Aw, get out the way!"

They didn't. Po groaned and took them down one by one. This was sucking more and more with every second. It got even suckier when he continued on and finally found the toppled chair that Xian had been chained too... without Xian in it.

To his left a crate had broken apart, spilling a load of cushions. Po picked up a big puffy pink one and screamed right into it.

There were no other paths except the one he had just came in from. With a heavy heart Po turned back and endured more dead ends until he was right back where he started.

Po was beginning to consider just punching through the crates when Emperor Xian dropped down right in front of him. His robe was gone, leaving his pants and the sleeveless golden vest he wore underneath, but he looked unhurt. However, Po was still on the verge of exploding.

"Where were you?"

Xian blinked. "What?"

"You weren't in the chair."

"You have your friend to thank for that."

"I have for the last ten minutes been going around this makeshift maze looking for you!" Po snapped.

"A maze? I thought it was a bloody avalanche."

Po raised his fists above his head as he raged. "Ten minutes I spent facing soldiers and the threat of being dragged into the black shadow of death! And what do I find? An empty freakin' chair!"

Xian put his paws on his hips. "Po, you're forgetting that I was tied to that chair to be used as bait for a demon from hell. I'm quite happy to be out of it, to be honest."

Arms still raised, Po gestured to the pile of crates that had separated them. "Do you have any idea how many dead ends I ran into just to get around to the other side of this stupid pile?!"

Xian looked at the pile and then back at Po. "You're the Dragon Warrior. Why didn't you just climb over the crates to get to me?"

Po's jaw went slack. His eyes went wide and his arms fell limply to his sides.

The stunned silence was broken when Izumi came around a corner, livid and brandishing a dozen small knives. Her eyes bulged when she saw the panda. "You!"

Po back flipped to avoid the torrent of knives she hurled at him, but Xian merely stepped aside and reached into his belt. "Two can play at that game, missy!"

He sent half a dozen shuriken right back at the bobtail. Surprised by the expected attack, Izumi caught two in her arm. They would have gone right through her flesh if it weren't for the leather arm guards she had adorned herself with, but she still cursed and disappeared behind the corner. Xian grabbed Po by the shoulder. "Hurry, over the crates before she comes back!"

As they rushed to the pile of crates that stood between them and the exit and started climbing, Po had to ask. "Where did you get those shurikens?"

"Again, I have your friend to thank for that."

* * *

_Five minutes earlier..._

Just as she'd been counting on, Tigress found Xian first. The chair on fallen on the side with him still chained in it, but from the looks of it he hadn't been harmed by the falling crates. Xian struggled furiously as she approached, until she lowered her mouth cover so he could recognise her. "Master Tigress?"

"Hold still." Tigress knelt down, grabbed the chain with both paws, and pulled it apart.

"Thank you." Xian said as she helped him up. He proceeded to remove his torn robe. "What the hell is that thing?"

"I don't know. All I know is that it's causing a lot of trouble for Long Feng and it will kill us if it finds us. We have to find Po and get out of here." Tigress pulled out a handle of shuriken she'd kept hidden beneath her armour until now and handed them to him. "The exit is in that direction. It'll be easier if we go over the crates."

She respectfully ushered him towards the fallen crates until she heard a noise close behind her. She turned but saw nothing. All the same she wasn't taking any chances. "Go. If you find Po, tell him to meet me in the main library."

Xian frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Someone's coming. I'll hold them off while you get away. You're more important."

"But..."

"You're highness, please!"

Xian's frown deepened. "Get to the library. For Po's sake." He clambered up the crates and disappeared.

Tigress quietly made her way in the opposite direction, knowing deep down that separating from Xian may not have been a good idea. However, something was nagging at her. For reasons unknown, she needed to know what was around that corner.

Tigress reached the corner and went around it. She saw that a wide, flat crate had fallen on top of two taller ones, forming a kind of roof. Something dark and thin lay on the ground beneath it. Tigress went to it and bent down. It was the crystal dagger Izumi had been holding. She must have dropped it when the crates fell.

Tigress reached for the dagger. Izumi had theorised that its power would weaken creature. if that was true, then maybe staying behind had been a good decision after all. Tigress picked up the dagger, stood up, and examined the strange weapon.

Something black and inky dripped onto the dark blade. Tigress looked up, saw two glowing blue eyes glaring at her from a shadow on the underside of the flat crate.

It was all Tigress could do to not drop the blade as it came upon her, grabbing her in its claws and dragging her into the darkness above.


	32. Long Feng's Descent

Mei Ling was developing a severe craving for bean buns when a soldier rushed into the room, striding right up to Long Feng and Sao. Judging from the look on his face, he wasn't here to announce the successful capture of Po, Ember or the creature. He stopped before the two high ranking officers, bowed and made a brief report. "Sir, still no sign of the Dragon Warrior. The enemy has almost broken through the palace gates."

They were close enough that Mei Ling could see the beads of sweat of Long Feng's forehead. He looked down at the table, and the skewered image of the woman he loathed. "Change of plans! The panda's death is top priority!"

The soldier blinked. "What?"

"Tell every available man that I want the Dragon Warrior hunted down and killed! I want him found before Ember gets to him!" Long Feng bent down further over Ember's picture. "I will not let her win. No matter what."

Mei Ling and Crane locked eyes, and she doubled her efforts to pick the lock of their chains with her claw. How the Wu Sisters pulled it off in less than a second she'd never know. Monkey made sure to keep her activities concealed with his prehensile tail while he quietly whistled.

As Mei Ling worked at the lock, Sao grabbed the soldier's shoulder, stopping him from leaving to carry out his orders, and then strode up to Long Feng. "General, for the love of the gods listen to me! We're not in control anymore, I don't think we ever were!"

Long Feng didn't look away from the picture. "What are you rambling about now, colonel?!"

"Sir, it's over!" Sao threw his arms up in the air, gesturing to the entire army. "Hei Nuwang's brilliant and twisted plan has failed! If we continue on like this, we will die!"

"What are you saying? Ember has already won?!"

Sao leaned over Long Feng, desperate to get through to him. "Her obsession with the panda is the only reason why she hasn't outright destroyed us yet! We can't risk angering her further by killing him before she gets what she wants!"

"Have you completely lost the plot, Sao?!" Long Feng finally stood straight and faced him. " _I REFUSE TO GIVE THAT UNHOLY WITCH THE SATISFACTION OF DEFEATING ME AND DESTROYING HEI NUWANG'S PLANS TO USHER IN A UNIVERSAL CONVERGENCE!_ "

Sao took a step back, looking aghast. Mei Ling froze in shock, and so did her friends.

The central hall, once filled the sounds with clinking armour and worried whispers, had become silent as the grave. Every single soldier, even the brainwashed ones, had stopped to stare at their general.

Sao swallowed and slowly approached Long Feng. "Take it easy."

Long Feng's teeth and single fist were clenched. He sent spit flying as he responded. " _Don't give me orders, I'm the general! I am in control!_ "

"Please see reason, Long Feng!" Sao pleaded. "It's over! Ember is winning, and the only thing we can do is get out while she's still distracted by the panda!"

" _Ember is winning because my men are weak and stupid!_ " Long Feng shook his fist, his face contorted. " _I will not allow her to win because of their incompetence! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!_ "

Sao was practically begging now. "Don't you see? This is what she wants! She wants to drive you mad and watch that madness tear the army apart!"

There was nothing Mei Ling, Crane and Monkey could do but watch.

" _I am not mad, Sao! I am a soldier!_ " Long Feng shouted. " _And what Ember really wants is to turn my own men against me! Soldier, put this mutineer in chains!_ "

Sao looked truly anguished. Mei Ling regained her composure and resumed lock picking. The soldier did not move. "But sir... he's right."

" _Soldier, that is an order_!"

When the frightened soldier still didn't move, Long Feng looked ready to attack Sao, but two rhinos saw it coming and grabbed the deranged general just as he lunged. "Sir, get a hold of yourself!"

Mei Ling heard the lock click, just as Long Feng threw them both off with his one arm. He staggered back, a little closer to the prisoners, panting and livid. " _How many more of you has she turned to her side?!_ "

"Nobody has turned against you, Long Feng!" Sao roared back. "They just want to get out of this alive!"

" _Cowards! All of you, fools and cowards!_ "

Long suddenly stopped and looked around, for a single moment noticing the stares. The shocked looks on his men's faces. The wide eyes of Mei Ling and her friends. Sao's fear and despair.

"Long Feng..." The fox said slowly. "You're damaging morale. Maybe we should continue this conversation in another room."

The moment was gone and Long Feng's eyes narrowed. He looked around at his men again, this time with suspicion and ever growing rage. "Wait... wait... you... you're all with _her_!" He turned his wrath back on Sao. " _You're going to bring me right to her, aren't you?!_ "

Sao bit his lip. A droplet of blood dribbled down his chin. Mei Ling actually felt sorry for him as he raised a shaking arm to point at his friend. " _Seize him, he's lost it!_ "

The two rhinos lunged at Long Feng, but even with one arm he was a forced to be reckoned with. Both men were sent rolling across the floor. Long Feng shook his fist at the ceiling. " _I know you're listening! One way or another, I will tear you apart!_ "

The soldiers were too stunned to stop him as he sprinted out the nearest exit.

"Stop him!" Sao screamed. A quarter of the men in the room took off in pursuit, followed closely by Sao himself.

Monkey's face looked almost comical. "I think that went well." He looked around the room, taking in the diminished and much more manageable number of soldiers. "I guess it's now or never."

Mei Ling slowly pulled the lock out the chain links. "Agreed. Once we're out, we head to the guard tower and get some weapons."

"Now you're talking."

With that they threw aside their chains and started a little madness of their own.

* * *

Sao listened with a heavy heart as the battered wolf explained in detail how the prisoners broke free and escaped while Sao was trying and failing to locate Long Feng. The rhino must have used one of the palace's secret passages that they had been unable to find, for he had completely vanished.

When the wolf was done, Sao told him to join the search for Long Feng and wandered alone in the central hall. He meandered past the column, stepping over the chains scattered across the floor, until he reached the map table. The mirror was still there, right where Long Feng had left it. The mirror was one of Hei Nuwang's early experiments before she moved on to living subjects. Through alchemy and unholy means she had turned the mirror into some kind of communicator, far faster than a messenger. This was not the first time Sao had used it to report a general gone mad.

He exhaled and picked up the mirror. This was going to be unpleasant, but Hei Nuwang needed to know.

When Hei Nuwang's black face appeared in the mirror, she appeared to be striding down a city street. She was almost to the palace. "Colonel Sao? What is the meaning of this?"

"Mistress, we... we lost Long Feng." In the mirror, the panther stopped walking. "Some thing happened, he went nuts, and... We're still trying to track him down."

Hei Nuwang's expression turned positively feral. "You... lost... Long Feng? Do you realise that this is the second time in less than half a decade that a general has gone barmy on your watch, YOU MORON?! GENERALS DON'T GROW ON TREES, YOU KNOW!"

Her voice echoed around the large room like thunder. Sao rubbed the dried blood from his mouth. "I don't know, maybe Ember did something to mess with his head, but he got too obsessed with revenge."

Hei Nuwang looked away. "What makes that traitor think she can mess with me like this?! I will rip out her heart and put it in a box!" She looked back at Sao. "I know about her mindless slave army. I'm leaving it to you, and this is your last chance to do right!"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Find Izumi and the masked one. Tell them to meet me in the burned building as soon as possible. We'll see what we can salvage from this fricking mess!" She lowered the mirror. Sao could see nothing but rubble and pavement, but he could still hear her. "Nobody screws with me. _Nobody!_ "

The mirror cracked and went blank.


	33. The Birthplace of the Jade Tortoise

For today, Viper was glad that Po wasn't here, and she was sure that Shifu felt the same. If he was, he would definitely be freaking his butt of over the fact that they were currently in the place where the Jade Tortoise of Infinite Wisdom had been created. On the other hand, Viper herself had been quite shocked upon being brought here, back when she and the others had been paralysed and fully expecting to be brought to the Children of Nuwa's dungeons.

The beasts that had killed Boar and taken them prisoner had been nothing more than villagers trained in the arts of poison and combat. Even Boar's death had been only an illusion, as they discovered when they were brought to one of the wooden huts and saw him lying prone on a simple bed. All this had been that pheasant's doing. Either she was a powerful master of mental techniques or a sorceress, but Viper knew by now that whatever she was she wasn't evil. She'd given the order to administer the antitoxins but make sure they stayed in the hut, while she went back into the mines to personally locate Su. The small group of villagers who had reported her presence had been out of their mind with fear. They hadn't realised the illusion hadn't been lifted yet when they approached her, and she'd injured herself while trying to flee. When they told of the small red panda in the green robe who took her away, Viper knew at once who they were taking about.

There was no describing how relieved she felt when the pheasant, Mengxiang, returned with Shifu and Su. Despite the villagers' report, she looked unhurt, while Shifu appeared fully recovered from his own wounds. When the villagers apologised profusely for what happened Su merely giggled and said it was okay, while Shifu waved away the apologies and assured them that all was forgiven.

Su and her parents had never looked so happy when they were finally reunited, but Viper had had something nagging at the back of her mind as she watched their embrace. Something that had troubled her since their trek through the forest. Something concerning Anwu and her promise.

Despite her slight unease, the few hours after the reunion had been pure bliss. The village, much like the panda village in resemblance, was a paradise compared to the forest, the prison and the mines. After being reassured that the newcomers were not with the enemy soldiers, the villagers had welcomed them with open arms, bringing them a hearty meal and friendly conversation, feeling honoured to finally meet the late Master Oogway's legacy. Boar did not participate much, his pride having taken a hit at the revelation that he'd been brought down by mere villagers wielding tiny knives.

The village doctor had tended to Viper's internal injuries as they'd explained how the pheasant, their leader, had wandered into the village decades ago, weeping and lost. It had soon become apparent that she possessed spiritual powers. She could create powerful illusions, enter minds, erase and alter memories. But she had been so full of sorrow that they could bring themselves to be afraid, and she eventually became a permanent resident. With her powers she protected them, driving bandits away with her illusions and erasing their memories of the village's existence. Soon she became their leader, and to the devoted, something more.

Currently the pheasant was speaking to Master Shifu in her home, a grotto on the outskirts of the village. She'd requested to speak to him in private soon after Viper had been treated and promised that she would live. Now wearing a fresh bandage, she was slithering over to Su's family to request the same.

Anwu's gentle smile faded when she saw Viper's eyes. She whispered in Pong's ear, kissed Su on the forehead, and suggested they talk in the house they'd been brought to. They left the feast, went inside, and Viper shut the door. "Anwu, I'm sorry. But you made a promise."

Anwu sat on the bed Boar had been lying on while paralysed. "I know."

Viper coiled on the floor, wincing from her ribs. "What did you mean when you said Su was supposed to return?"

Anwu intertwined her fingers and rested them on her thighs. "You're probably aware that I had been struck by consumption a long time ago. Fortunately it went away before Su was born."

Viper frowned. Consumption was not like a cold. It did not just fade away. "Go on."

"I was dying. I was going to die, and there was nothing Pong or Qiang or anyone else could do to stop it." Anwu hugged herself, tears in her eyes. "It was the worst three weeks of my life. God, it was so horrible. I became thin. I had a fever that would not stop. My bed was covered in bloody rags from all the coughing. The only thing that stopped me from putting myself out of my misery was the thought of holding on until Su could be born. One day, while Pong had gone to get something to stop my chills, a cicada came to see me."

"A cicada? Who?"

Anwu wiped her eyes. "She called herself Meng Po. The spirit who oversees reincarnated souls. You heard of her?"

Viper had gone rigid. "I have. I never imagined she could be real."

"I thought the same, until she showed me the visions. She showed me a vision of a beautiful little girl, standing in a green meadow holding a big golden coin in one hand. I knew right away that girl was my baby. I asked her why she showed me this. She said that a long time ago, someone very ancient and powerful created a great seal to protect the world. That seal was in danger of being broken, and it needed to be strengthened by sending the soul of its creator back into the mortal world. When as long as flowed inside a living body, the flow of chi would bring protection to the seal. It sounds ridiculous, I know."

Viper remembered the Peach Tree and Kepa's mortal form. "Actually it doesn't."

Anwu actually looked surprised. "Anyway, she needed a mother to bring that soul back into the mortal world, and I needed myself and my baby to live."

Viper's heart nearly stopped as it dawned on her. "My gods."

"I didn't know what else to do... so I agreed. I allowed Meng Po to place a soul into my unborn child."

"And Su didn't remember her past life because she drank the Five Flavoured Tea of Forgetfulness. But why would she visit you and tell you this? She could have simply placed the soul without telling you. She's done so with millions of others."

"But this was no ordinary reincarnation." Anwu looked down at her knees. "You see, there was a condition. Because this soul was not mortal when she died, there was no guarantee the potion would work. If it became apparent that it hadn't... she would have to return to the place of her death."

"The Valley of Peace."

"I don't know why, so please do not ask." Anwu said. "When Su began revealing knowledge she shouldn't have, we hoped she was just a genius. But then you came to our village... and she met Master Shifu."

"Shifu?"

"It was the way she acted around him. Usually she hardly speaks around strangers. But with Shifu, it was as if she'd known him for years. She didn't know it, but she knew him. I knew right then the Five Flavoured Tea didn't work. So when we received the offer to have Su train at the Jade Palace, I had to say yes. I didn't dare break the deal."

"... Does Pong know?"

"I told him after my consumption went away. It didn't take much for him to believe me. He knew the way the disease faded in such a short time wasn't normal."

"You... you know I have to tell the others about this. For Su's sake."

"I know. I was going to tell Su myself when we came to the palace, but then the ambush happened. Is Su still feeling... sick?"

"I'm not sure. Other than a small headache, she's been fine ever since we found her in the prison. I just hope that whatever demon was plaguing her has finally worked its way out."

* * *

_Ten minutes after the Jade Palace's destruction..._

_Su sat on the dirt ground, resting against the stone dragon that watched over the road leading back to the village._

_She was curled in a ball, sobbing as she held her tummy, which was still being stabbed over and over from the inside. Ever since that red-eyed panda showed up, the pain wouldn't stop. It was getting worse the more she thought about him._

_That vile, murderous, evil beast! How dare he come back? And wearing_ that _face! The rage was so all-consuming it was like her insides were boiling. The need to murder him and his cult was so great that it was literally trying to claw its way out her body._

_Su fell to the side, and her shoulder hit a small puddle. The water soaked through her tunic and fur, the cold contrasting with the raging heat that she had a chance to focus. She had to get back to the palace. Warn Shifu and the others. Su gasped as she forced herself to her feet. She held her stomach as she started walking._

_It was very late when she reached the village. She didn't go through the main street or up the stairs, sure that the red-eyed panda was expecting that. Instead she went around the village and up the mountain, taking the isolated side path through the forest. Near the end her feet were hurting almost as much as her tummy. She heard the fighting before she saw it. She looked through the trees at the palace and saw the soldiers fighting the masters twenty on one._

_Saw Shifu leap to intercept a blow from a meteor hammer meant for Viper._

_Saw blood flying as it hit him._

_Heard herself scream._

_Su turned and ran back into the forest, sobbing from all kinds of pain. She didn't stop running until a big rock blocked her path. She stood hunched over the rock, staring at a wide pond on the other side._

_She'd failed them. No matter how hard she tried to help them, it hadn't been enough. She'd failed... again._

_The pain got worse. Almost bent double, she stepped around the rock and into the pond. It went up to her ankles._

Kill them.

_No. That's not what Master Oogway would want._

Kill them all.

_No. I won't._

KILL THEM!

_GET OUT!_

_The voice shoved at the inside of her stomach with claws. Su let out a long, horrible scream and bent down so far her paws touched the surface of the pond. Red tears fell from her eyes and into the water. As she cried, the tears turned from red to black. The tainted water crawled up her arms and legs, crawling towards her stomach and gathering there._

_Her entire body started to shake. She fell, turning on the way down so she landed on her back without a splash, staring up at the starry sky. The convulsions worsened as the water on her stomach turned completely black and started to ripple._

_A black arm with claws shot out from the spot where her bellybutton would be._

_With it came the rest, a lean, pure black body the same height as the little panda that slid out and sprawled across the pond right next to her._

_The convulsions ceased, as did the pain and tears._

_For the longest time, both were as still as the night air. Stars twinkled overhead, reflected in the water around them._

_Then the creature stirred._

_It brought its arms in close, stroking its chest as it took in its new existence. It quickly understood how it was supposed to move, and slowly started to rise. As it moved, water crawled up and covered its body, turning black and adding to its mass. By the time it was crouching, staring at the darkness and trees and sky, it was as tall as a gorilla. It sniffed, taking in the smells of the forest._

_Glowing blue eyes blinked and looked at the girl. She had passed out. With a tendril it tenderly wiped the dark tears from her face. She'd suffered terribly, and it was all their fault._

_It would hunt them down. Kill them. Make them regret their sins._

_It threw its head back and unleashed its first sound, a visceral screech that promised a bloody revenge. Then it vanished into the darkness, pondering where it would strike first._

_Su remained in the centre of the pond, as still as a doll._

_And that was how the masked panther found her._


	34. Through the Looking Glass

Inside the spacious cave, lit by a dozen silver candles and covered in silk cushions, Mengxiang fulfilled her promise.

She sat on a thick pale cushion, gazing at Shifu without emotion at he sat down on another cushion before her. Neither spoke right away. Mengxiang's gaze never wavered. Shifu silently reciprocated until he asked his first question. "You told me the leader of the Children of Nuwa is your sister. Who is she?"

"Her name is Hei Nuwang. She did not found the order. It was originally a cult bent on world domination through fear until she took over and altered its goals. That was two hundred years ago."

"How old are you and your sisters?"

"I am the first born. Three thousand years. Hei Nuwang and Ember were created after. We have all lived for a long time. Even longer than your late master."

"How many are you?"

"Hundreds, but most left for the Spirit World after the tragedy. That terrible day was what started it all."

"What tragedy?"

Mengxiang swallowed. "Even after so long, it hurts to talk about it. It would be better if I showed you."

Before Shifu could question her trustworthiness, he already felt her strange power seep through his eyes. The world turned white for an instant, and when it returned it was different, like he was looking through a very short spyglass. He heard Mengxiang speak, but did not see her. "Trust me, Shifu. I promised you answers, and you shall have them."

* * *

_There were only three children left now. Hei Nuwang, Ember, and Mengxiang herself. Everyone else was gone. Two decades had passed since the tragedy, but the grief still cut into them all like a newly sharpened knife. Even the gentle golden sunset could not soothe their broken hearts._

_On a naturally hewn stone bridge between two cliffs, Mengxiang and Hei Nuwang watched over the Valley of Peace. In the village, short-lived mortals went about their lives, neither knowing or caring about what happened twenty years ago. Mengxiang seethed at the sight of them. How dare they overcome their grief so quickly while the immortals still suffered. How dare they?_

_Mengxiang looked to Hei Nuwang, and saw the hatred in her lovely features. She had made no secret of her bitterness towards the mortals, though her idea of dealing with it was far more morbid. Ever since the tragedy, she'd always been so angry, and Ember wasn't helping._

_They felt a strong heat coming from their left. Ember was striding across the bridge towards them, clad in a dragon helmet and an emerald green dress that had its skirt cut into draping wide strips that showed her black clothed legs. She always completely concealed her appearance in public, having felt that as the Dragon Empress, hiding her face was safer. Ember stopped some distance from them, her strips fluttering in the breeze._

_"_ _I've just spoken to Master Oogway. The village is close to complete recovery after the massacre."_

_"_ _Unbelievable." Hei Nuwang growled. "How can you even give him the time of day after what happened?"_

_"_ _Your grudge is unjustified." Ember replied coolly. "He helped save us, in the end."  
"Not all of us." Mengxiang said._

_"_ _None of this would have happened if he hadn't gotten involved with her!" Hei Nuwang shot the Jade Palace a filthy look. "I knew he was trouble right from the start."_

_"_ _Oh._ He _was the trouble."_

 _Hei Nuwang's purple eyes flashed. "I do_ not _appreciate your tone!"_

_Ember raised a shaking black-gloved fist in response. "You know Oogway did everything he could to save her, and yet you still use him as a blasted scapegoat!"_

_"_ _Well, it wasn't good enough! He and his precious kung fu are weak! Weak, just like every other mortal who was so pathetic and helpless that mother had to give her life to save their worthless hides!"_

_Mengxiang gaped at what Ember said next. "You're a coward!"_

_Hei Nuwang was stunned. "You dare..."_

_"You are wrong about Oogway_ _, and you're too great a coward to admit it! Continue wallowing in your prejudices if it makes you feel better, but I will have no part of it! Goodbye, sister!"_

_Ember vanished in a red flash, leaving Mengxiang to watch Hei Nuwang fume._

* * *

"That was the last time Hei Nuwang and Ember spoke to each other. Hei Nuwang went to the Palace of the Body and began working on her plans. She never told me what she did in there. Perhaps she knew I wouldn't understand. Ember went to the Palace of the Mind, where with the Yetis of Shambhala she began utilising the power of science and knowledge to aid the mortal race when the time came. As was for myself, I wish I could say that I was as clear minded as Ember was back then, but I wasn't. Though I never wished harm on the mortals, I resented them for not being strong enough to protect themselves. In particular I blamed Oogway for failing to prevent the tragedy. You can imagine my shock when, nine centuries years later, I discovered that Ember had fallen in love with a mortal and conceived a child. Like an idiot I confronted her. I reminded her of what the mortals' weakness had cost us. I urged her to sever ties with the people who caused our mother's death and return to us, but she wouldn't listen. I was completely at a loss. My powers are ineffective against my own kind, so I could not understand what she saw in them. More than anything the thought of losing her terrified me. You know what can happen to one's judgement when they're afraid."

* * *

_Is Ember out of her mind?!_

_What on earth is she thinking, consorting with mortals to such an extent? And that child... that half mortal... what is she playing at?_

_In an old shack outside the city where Ember currently resided, Mengxiang paced endlessly. If only she could enter Ember's mind, understand what was going on inside that helmet. What was she thinking?_

_The door creaked open, swaying precariously on its single hinge. Hei Nuwang stepped inside and shut it behind her. Mengxiang had sent the message right after her confrontation with Ember._

_"_ _What is this I hear?" Hei Nuwang asked immediately. "Ember has conceived a hybrid with a mortal?"_

_Mengxiang stared at the filthy green wall. "Yes."_

_"_ _And what did she say when you confronted her?"_

_"_ _She has no intention of abandoning her family and it is none of my business."_

_She heard the door fall completely away from the frame. "I knew it. I knew it the moment mother created her, that woman..." She took a deep breath. "You are the first born. How could you have let her go this far astray?"_

_Mengxiang couldn't answer. Hei Nuwang stepped closer to her._

_"She_ _has brought dishonour and imbalance upon us. The remaining Children of Nuwa must come together and act to cleanse ourselves of this sin."_

_Mengxiang kept her eyes on the wall. "What do you mean, Nuwang?"_

_Hei Nuwang smoothed the feathers on the side of her head tenderly. "You don't understand. You can read minds, but you can't understand them. It has always been this way." Mengxiang looked at her. She was right. Of course she was right. No wonder talking to Ember had failed. Hei Nuwang's deep purple eyes looked straight into hers. "Trust me, sister. Help me deal with this matter. We will restore balance."_

* * *

"You should know that we do not die as easily as mortals. We are almost impossible to kill through mortal means, and our powers are greater than even the greatest of kung fu masters. And I already told you that powers such as mine are ineffective against my own kind. But Hei Nuwang had a special tool for that. A crystal dagger of her own making that would temporarily halt the chi flow in a Child of Nuwa, taking away their powers and rendering them mortal. That night, Hei Nuwang and I formed a plan. Ember's family was rich and powerful, and had many guards to protect them. But Hei Nuwang had recruited two treacherous men to her cause; Tujiu and Long Feng. Judging from the look on your face, you are familiar with those people. With their inside knowledge and my illusions, we would fake a small invasion. While the guards were focused on fighting an enemy much smaller in number than it appeared, Hei Nuwang and I would steal Ember right from under their noses. With the dagger Ember would be susceptible to my powers. I would erase her memories of the mortals she had lived with, and we would have our sister back. We set the plan in motion two nights later. I see the look in your eyes, Shifu. I can see you putting two and two together. You already know how this ends..."

* * *

_As they strode hurriedly through the lower floor of the building Ember and her child was located, Mengxiang wondered how on earth was Ember going to forgive her. Then she realised that she didn't need to worry about that. Soon Ember would remember nothing of this incident. As long as everything went to plan._

_Speaking of which, Mengxiang had a feeling that something had gone wrong. She smelled burning wood. Starting a fire hadn't been part of the plan. In fact she could see smoke starting to gather on the ceiling. Even though the smoke couldn't harm her or Hei Nuwang, Mengxiang pulled the hood of her black cloak farther over her face. A small, immature part of her felt exhilaration at what she was doing. Nothing this exciting had happened to her in centuries. Hei Nuwang must be feeling the same, for there was a grin on her face as they got closer to the room where Ember was hiding. Mengxiang wondered why Ember wasn't using her powers to quell this 'invasion'. Perhaps she was putting her trust in the mortals to take care of this. Mengxiang wouldn't trust them to take care of housekeeping._

_They stopped dead. They had reached the final corridor. In the room at the end, Ember was waiting out the attack. Her husband was in the throne room with his father. Aside from the baby, she was alone. This was it. They were one corridor away from saving Ember from her own folly._

_Hei Nuwang started forward, and Mengxiang went to follow. In her mind she spoke a small apology to her wayward sister, hoping that she would understand that this was for her own good._

_Hei Nuwang held out a paw, stopping Mengxiang in her tracks. "You should leave, sister. You don't want to watch this."_

_Amethyst pillars shot up between them like bars, separating the two. Crystal dagger in hand, Hei Nuwang turned and strode all the way to the door. She opened it, stepped inside, and shut the door behind her._

_All the while Mengxiang stared, the truth striking her like one of Hei Nuwang's amethyst pillars through the chest. She stepped back from the purple bars, pulling the hood back, then pulling off the cloak entirely. She had the same reaction she did when she learned of their mother's death nine hundred years ago._

_"_ _What have I done?"_

_Ember's Yeti general. Her husband. Her father in law. The closest soldiers. Anyone who could get to her in time. Mengxiang sent her mental message to them all as she rushed back the way she'd came, leaving the cloak Hei Nuwang had given her in the smoke-filled corridor._

* * *

"You know how it feels, don't you, Shifu? To betray someone you love?"

When Shifu was brought back to the present, he saw Mengxiang's anguish. "That was the last time I saw Hei Nuwang, and she wasted no time in carrying out her true plot. I did everything I could, but it was already too late." She tilted her head. "Shifu... are you... crying?"

Shifu quickly wiped his eyes, surprised at his own emotional response. "I... I'm just... understanding Ember a little better."

"Ember was the nickname our mother gave her. I trust you know her true name by now."

"I... oh gods... how am I going to tell the others? How am I going to tell Xian?"

"The truth. But that's for another time."

Shifu took a deep breath, forcing down the sorrow in his heart. "So what happened afterward?" He knew Xian's side of the story, but wanted to hear what Mengxiang had to say.

"I met the general in the entrance hall as I was leaving. He smashed thought the amethyst bars with no effort, but Hei Nuwang was gone by the time we reached Ember's room. And Ember... she was lying on the floor... she..." Mengxiang trembled and sobbed. "At first I didn't recognise her, and when I did, I thought she was dead. But without her natural immunity to my power, I could feel her pain. In her body and her heart. Though the dagger had rendered her vulnerable to her own element, it still would not kill her. The sight of her was too much. I ran. I ran until I could run no further. And then I wandered. I wandered for weeks. I could do nothing else but think. Think about what I'd done and loathe myself for it. I found this village. Over time they accepted me, and I accepted them in return, and then I came to understand."

"Understand what?"

"Why she chose you over us."


End file.
